Reading Cristal Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by Nichole Monroe
Summary: Part 3 of the reading Cristal Potter. Join Cris and the rest of the group as they read about her third year. Some new characters show up, see the chaos that follows. Cris/twins, Ron/Hermione, Ginny/Neville. GirlHarry Potter
1. Prologue

The next morning when everyone was up and eaten breakfast they went back to sit down and read, that's when they saw the note. This time Remus picked it up to read it.

_Dear everyone, _

_As you might have guessed this is James again, I know that my sister, Teddy and Keiran are there but I have talked it over with them before they left. We are going to be bringing in a few more people and that's it. One of them is mum's Muggle friend Gwen, as of yet she does not know about magic, we felt that it would be better for her to get to know the wizarding world before she marries into it. The next people myself, Remus, Scar, and Vic. Hope to see you soon. _

_Yours Truly, _

_James Sirius Potter-Weasley_

As soon as Remus was done reading the note a bright light filled the room again and five people appeared. There were two boys and three girls. The oldest boy had dark red hair and he looked a lot like James. The other boy looked about two years younger and he had black hair, he looked a lot like the twins. The oldest girl had blonde hair but she was definitely a Weasley. The other girl had sandy hair and looked a lot like Robin. The other girl had no idea what was going on and was looking widely around the room. She had long wavy golden blonde hair and dark green eyes.

"Gwen!" Cris shouted and ran to her friend. Gwen looked at the person who called her name and smiled greatly.

"Cris, it's so good to see you, do you have any idea where we are?" Gwen asked. Cris smiled and turned to Professor Dumbledore.

"Hello Gwen, I'm the headmaster of the school that Miss Potter goes to. What we are gathered here for is to try and change past and future events." Dumbledore said.

"How can you change past events, that's not possible." Gwen said.

"Actually it is, the people in this room are from different times, there are four from the past, twenty three from the present and now seven from the future." Cris said.

"You're just pulling my leg." Gwen said.

"I'm afraid not, we used magic to bring all of you here." The red head boy said.

"But magic is only in stories, it's not real." Gwen said.

"And yet you are in a room full of witches and wizards." Cris said.

"Prove it." Gwen said. Dumbledore handed Cris her wand and lifted the table off the ground with a cry of 'Wingardium Leviosa'

"All of you can do magic? Then why am I here?" Gwen asked.

"Because you marry a wizard." Prongs said. (**Note: James will be known as Prongs now and James Sirius will be James) **

"And how do you know that?" Gwen asked.

"Because we're from the future, you met your husband at our mum's wedding." Lily J said.

"Who's your mum?" Gwen asked.

"Cris," Lily J, the red head boy and the black hair boy said.

"My name is James Sirius Potter-Weasley, I'm Lily's twin but I'm much cooler." James said.

"My name is Remus Albus Potter-Weasley but you can call me Al considering there's already two Remus' here." Al said.

"Thank goodness, that would be so confusing." Lily said.

"Agreed," everyone else said.

"Alright, so the rest of them?" Gwen asked.

"I'm Professor McGonagall and I teach transfigurations."

"I'm Professor Snape and I teach potions."

"I'm Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, I'm a retired Auror, which is like a police man."

"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, I'm an Auror."

"I'm Tonks, just call me Tonks, I'm an Auror as well."

"My name is Teddy Remus Lupin, I'm from the future, and Tonks and Remus Lupin are my parents."

"I'm Keiran James Black, I'm from the future as well and my parents are Sirius and Robin Black."

"I'm Sirius Black, I'm an accused mass murderer but I am innocent."

"I'm Scarlett Iris Black, I'm from the future too and my parents are Sirius and Robin Black."

"I'm Robin Lupin soon to be Black, at the moment I am not working."

"I'm Remus Lupin, I'm a werewolf, I never nor do I plan on biting anyone."

"I'm Lily Jade Potter-Weasley, I'm from the future, I'm James' twin our parents are Cris and the Weasley twins." Lily J said. Gwen raised her eyebrow but kept quiet as everyone continued with the introductions

"I'm Fred Weasley, I'm only one part of the Weasley twins, and we enjoy pranks."

"You know me already but I'm Cristal Potter."

"I'm George Weasley, the second part of the Weasley twins."

"I'm Hermione Granger, I'm a muggleborn and one of Cris' friends."

"I'm Ron Weasley, I'm another one of Cris' friends."

"I'm Ginny Weasley, the only girl in the family that is until we all get married."

"I'm Neville Longbottom, I'm one of Cris' friends but not as close as Hermione and Ron are."

"I'm Charlie Weasley, I'm second oldest in the Weasley bunch and I am a dragon handler."

"I'm Bill Weasley, the oldest child and I'm a curse-breaker."

"I'm Victoire Gabrielle Weasley, I'm Bill and Fleur's oldest daughter."

"I'm Molly Weasley, mother to Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny."

"I'm Arthur Weasley, the father."

"I'm Luna Lovegood, I'm in Ravenclaw.

"James Potter, I guess you all will have to call me Prongs, but I'm Cris' father and co-founder of the marauders"

"Lily Evans, I'm Cris' mother."

"I'm Remus Lupin, call me Moony, I'm the brains behind the marauders."

"I'm Sirius Black, call me Padfoot, I'm the other co-founder of the marauders."

"I'm Percy Weasley, I work at the Ministry of Magic."

"I'm Draco Malfoy, Cris' former enemy now we're on speaking terms."

"Well that is interesting. I'm Gwen Johnson, so what exactly are we doing?" Gwen asked.

"Reading books about my life." Cris said with a grimace.

"Well, let's get started then, who is reading?" Gwen asked.

"Well since Scarlett is next to me she is." Sirius said. Scarlett smiled and picked up the book.

"**Cristal Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," **

"What's Azkaban?" Gwen asked.

"The wizard prison, guarded by some really nasty creatures." Fred said. Scarlett then opened to the first chapter.


	2. Chapter 1: Owl Post

"**Chapter 1: Owl Post," **Scarlett read.

"Owl post?" Gwen asked.

"Oh yeah, instead of post office delivering our mail we have owls do it." Cris said.

"Odd, I'm going to find a lot of things odd aren't I?" Gwen asked.

"Yep," most of the group said. Mr. Weasley looked ready to pull her aside and start to ask her a bunch of questions. To spare her Scarlett began reading.

**Cristal Potter was a highly unusual girl **

"Really?" Fred asked.

"I had no idea," George said.

"Quiet you two." Cris said.

"Yes Bambi," they said together.

"They are so whipped." Charlie whispered to Bill.

"No kidding." Bill whispered.

**in many ways. For one thing, she hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year.**

**For another, she really wanted to do her homework **

"What?" the twins, Prongs, Padfoot and Sirius asked.

"How are you my daughter?" Prongs asked.

"She's my daughter as well." Lily said.

"Right," Prongs said.

"But still why would you?" Ron asked.

"I was bored," Cris said.

**but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night.**

"Alright, I can understand now." Sirius said.

**And she also happened to be a witch.**

**It was nearly midnight, and she was lying on her stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over her head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. Cris moved the tip of her eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as she looked for something that would help her write her essay, 'Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless — discuss.'**

**The quill paused at the top of a likely looking paragraph. Cris pushed her round glasses up the bridge of her nose, **

"I'm so glad I got contacts." Cris said.

"It is better for you, that way we don't have to worry about remembering to repair those bloody things anymore." Hermione said.

**moved her flashlight closer to the book, and read:**

**Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame-Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises. **

"We don't have to hear about mum's homework do we?" James asked.

"Especially if it's History of Magic?" Ron asked.

"Can I please continue?" Scarlett asked with a glare towards James and Ron. They nodded.

**Cris put her quill between her teeth and reached underneath her pillow for her inkbottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully she unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped her quill into it, and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen, because if any of the Dursley's heard the scratching of her quill on their way to the bathroom, she'd probably find herself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer.**

**The Dursley family of Number Four, Privet Drive, was the reason that Cris never enjoyed her summer holidays. **

"And now we know why." Sirius said with a scowl.

"What? Why?" Gwen asked.

"I didn't have a very good home life." Cris said.

"Good, try abusive." Ron spat.

"Is that why you ran away?" Gwen asked.

"You ran away?" Prongs asked.

"It'll be explained dad." Cris said.

**Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son, Dudley, were Cris' only living relatives. They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude toward magic. Cris' dead parents, who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursley's roof. For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept Cris as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of her. To their fury, they had not been successful. These days they lived in terror of anyone finding out that Cris had spent most of the last two years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The most they could do, however, was to lock away Cris' spell books, wand, cauldron, and broomstick at the start of the summer break, and forbid her to talk to the neighbors.**

**This separation from her spell books had been a real problem for Cris, because her teachers at Hogwarts had given her a lot of holiday work. One of the essays, a particularly nasty one about shrinking potions, was for Cris' least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, who would be delighted to have an excuse to give Cris detention for a month. Cris had therefore seized her chance in the first week of the holidays. While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), **

"That was bloody annoying." Gwen said.

"You live close by then?" Hermione asked.

"Across the street." Gwen said with a nod.

**Cris had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs, **

"Thanks for teaching me that, Mischief, Trouble." Cris said.

"Stick around and we'll teach you something else." Fred said.

"Something even more useful," George whispered into her ear. Cris blushed brightly and looked into her lap.

"What do you keep saying to her?" Sirius asked. James, Keiran, Teddy and Al laughed.

"What are you four laughing at?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Nothing Grandma," the four said.

"I can't take them anywhere." Victoire said.

"At least it's only a fraction of them," Scarlett said.

"Imagine if they were all here." Lily J said. The three girls shivered.

"That would be a disaster waiting to happen." Victoire said.

**grabbed some of her books, and hidden them in her bedroom. As long as she didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursley's need never know that she was studying magic by night. **

"How very Slytherin, Potter." Snape said.

"Well, I was almost in Slytherin." Cris said with a shrug.

"What? Mum, you never told me that." James said.

"She told me." Al said.

"Why did I tell you?" Cris asked.

"I thought I wouldn't be in Gryffindor as well." Al said.

"But you are, and we love you no matter what." Lily J said.

"Thanks," Al said.

**Cris was particularly keen to avoid trouble with her aunt and uncle at the moment, as they were already in an especially bad mood with her, all because she'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school holidays. **

Ron turned red and didn't say anything else.

"What did you do?" Sirius asked.

"More importantly, you didn't get Cris in trouble, did you?" Prongs asked.

**Ron Weasley, who was one of Cris' best friends at Hogwarts, came from a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Cris didn't, **

"I highly doubt that." Sirius said.

"You just hide your intelligence." Remus said.

"But Ron does know stuff that Mia and I have no clue about." Cris said.

"And he can kick both our butts in chess." Hermione said.

"Speaking of that, I remember when Uncle Ron finally had his butt kicked." James said.

"What?" Ron asked astonished.

"Hugo, your son, he beat you finally this summer and he's nine." Lily J said.

"Wow, that's about the same age when Ron beat dad." Bill said.

"Yep, just about." Charlie said.

**but had never used a telephone before.**

**Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call.**

**"Vernon Dursley speaking."**

**Cris, who happened to be in the room at the time, froze as she heard Ron's voice answer. **

"Oh dear," Lily said.

"Don't worry we explained it to him." Hermione said.

"Good," Robin said.

**"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — TO — TALK — TO — CRIS — POTTER!" **

"Why are you yelling it?" Remus whimpered rubbing his ears.

"It's in all capitals." Scarlett said.

"Can you refrain from yelling so loudly?" Moony asked.

"Sorry, I forgot." Scarlett said sheepishly.

**Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm.**

**"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?" **

"Didn't help any." Cris said.

"What did he do?" Prongs asked dangerously.

"Can you just continue reading Scar?" Keiran asked. Scarlett nodded and continued reading.

**"RON — WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M — A — FRIEND — OF — CRIS' — FROM — SCHOOL —"**

**Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Cris, who was rooted to the spot. **

"Please don't let it be terrible," Lily mumbled.

**"THERE IS NO CRIS POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"**

**And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.**

**The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever. **

"Bolt, I'm so, so, sorry." Ron said getting up and crushing his best friend in a hug.

"I'm fine now Red, don't worry about it." Cris said.

**"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE — PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying Cris with spit. **

"That's disgusting." The girls said.

**Ron obviously realized that he'd gotten Cris into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Cris' other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Cris suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Cris' year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts. **

"Then how do you explain how I know you?" Hermione asked.

"Same with Gwen. Met you in the neighborhood." Cris said.

"I guess that would work." Hermione said.

**So Cris had had no word from any of her wizarding friends for five long weeks, and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was just one very small improvement — after swearing that she wouldn't use her to send letters to any of her friends, Cris had been allowed to let her owl, Hedwig, out at night. Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time. **

"At least there's that." Moony said.

**Cris finished writing about Wendelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of her enormous cousin, Dudley. It must be very late, Cris thought. Her eyes were itching with tiredness. Perhaps she'd finish this essay tomorrow night… **

"Yes, get some sleep." Lily said.

"Yes mum," Cris said with a chuckle.

**She replaced the top of the ink bottle; pulled an old pillowcase from under her bed; put the flashlight, A History of Magic, her essay, quill, and ink inside it; got out of bed; and hid the lot under a loose floorboard under her bed. Then she stood up, stretched, **

"Good you have a hidey hole." Sirius said.

"I always have a hidey hole." Cris said.

"Ooohh, where?" Neville asked.

"Like I would tell you, you two share a dorm with me." Cris said.

"Boy and girls can share?" Gwen asked.

"Not usually, they made a special case because there weren't enough beds. So Cris gave hers up and now she's in the boys' dorm." Hermione said.

"That makes sense," Gwen said.

**and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on her bedside table.**

**It was one o'clock in the morning. Cris' stomach gave a funny jolt. She had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. **

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" chorused most of the room.

"Are you going to do that every time my birthday comes in all the books?" Cris asked.

"Absolutely." They said.

"Alright, have at it." Cris said.

**Yet another unusual thing about Cris was how little she looked forward to her birthdays. She had never received a birthday card in her life. The Dursley's had completely ignored her last two birthdays, and she had no reason to suppose they would remember this one. **

"But I do, I got the first gifts that I could remember." Cris said.

"You'll be spoiled rotten on you birthday." Sirius said.

"Siri, don't worry about it." Cris said.

"No, we want to and that's what we are doing." Remus said.

"There's no talking you out of it, is there?" Cris asked.

"Nope," they said.

**Cris walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. She leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on her face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. Cris wasn't worried about her: she'd been gone this long before. But she hoped she'd be back soon — Hedwig was the only living creature in this house who didn't flinch at the sight of her.**

**Cris, though still rather small and skinny for her age, had grown a few inches over the last year. Her jet-black hair, sometimes different colors, however, was just as it always had been — stubbornly untidy, whatever she did to it. The eyes behind her glasses were bright green, and on her forehead, clearly visible through her hair, was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

**Of all the unusual things about Cris, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. **

"Do we have to do all this again?" Cris asked.

"Yes, Gwen doesn't know your story or how you came to live at your aunt and uncles." Dumbledore said.

"Is it bad?" Gwen asked.

"My past is darker than you might think." Cris said.

"What happened, I thought your parents died in a car crash." Gwen said.

"No, my parents were murdered. And you're about to learn who did it." Cris said.

**It was not, as the Dursley's had pretended for ten years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed Cris' parents, **

"I still can't believe they lied to you about that." Remus said.

"It did come as a shock to learn otherwise." Cris said.

"They knew the truth, didn't they?" Gwen asked.

"They knew; they just were afraid that I would be like them, a witch. They hated magic, thus they hated me." Cris said.

"And we didn't know?" Gwen asked.

"You heard the tale my aunt and uncle spread." Cris said.

"Sadly," Gwen mumbled.

"What tale?" everyone asked.

"The next chapter I believe." Cris said.

**because Lily and James Potter had not died in a car crash. They had been murdered, murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort. **

A few people winced and Gwen raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Voldemort? Seriously? What kind of name is that?" Gwen asked.

"It even isn't his real name." Cris said.

"What is it then, and why doesn't he use it?" Gwen asked.

"It's Tom Riddle," Sirius said.

"He doesn't use it because he was name after his father, now his father is a Muggle and mother's a pureblood witch. His father left before he was born and that is why he is trying to cleanse the world of muggles and muggleborns." Remus said.

"Now that's just plain stupid." Gwen said.

"I've never heard someone react like that." Mrs. Weasley said.

"You should see her kids." James said.

"Okay, let me get this straight, I marry a wizard and have kids. Who do I marry? Is it someone in this room?" Gwen asked.

"No, no one here. I don't meet him until I'm fourteen. He's Bulgarian, he's actually really nice." Cris said.

"Alright," Gwen said.

**Cris had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on her forehead, where Voldemort's curse, instead of killing her, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled…**

**But Cris had come face-to-face with him at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as she stood at the dark window, Cris had to admit she was lucky even to have reached her thirteenth birthday.**

"You really were lucky." Remus said.

"What happened?" Gwen asked.

"I almost died," Cris said.

"But you didn't so that's good," Gwen said.

"Yep," Cris agreed.

**She scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to her with a dead mouse dangling from her beak, expecting praise. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Cris realized what she was seeing. **

"Ah, Hedwig has brought gifts." Robin said.

"She's a really good friend." Lily said.

"But she does have an attitude." Tonks said.

"That she does but I wouldn't have it any other way." Cris said.

**Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Cris' direction. She stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second she hesitated, her hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut. But then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Cris, realizing what it was, leapt aside.**

**Through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on Cris' bed, and the middle owl, which was large and grey, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs. **

"Poor owl," Gwen said.

"That's Errol, he's pretty old." Bill said.

"You should probably get a new one then." Gwen said.

"We can't exactly afford one." Mr. Weasley said going red.

**Cris recognized the unconscious owl at once — his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. Cris dashed to the bed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water. **

"Do all the owls have different personalities?" Gwen asked.

"Pretty much," Charlie said.

"That's kind of odd." Gwen said.

"Owls are very peculiar that way." Luna said in her dreamy voice.

**Cris turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the large snowy female, was her own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave Cris an affectionate nip with her beak as Cris removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol.**

**Cris didn't recognize the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but she knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third package, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest. When Cris relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night.**

**Cris sat down on her bed and grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold and her first ever birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, she opened the envelope. **

"It was my first birthday card." Cris said.

"They haven't stopped coming and won't stop." Hermione said.

"Definitely not," Ron said.

"And few special gifts here and there." Fred said.

"Exactly," George said. Cris blushed once more and kissed both of them.

**Two pieces of paper fell out — a letter and a newspaper clipping.**

**The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. Cris picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, and read:**

**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE**

**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. **

"Couldn't have happened to a well deserving family." Sirius said.

"Thank you Sirius." Mr. Weasley said his ears turning red.

"It's true, though. And I for one am extremely grateful that you got that prize." Sirius said.

"Only because it showed a picture of them with the rat traitor." Cris said.

"Exactly," Sirius said.

**A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."**

**The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.**

**Cris scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across her face as she saw all nine of the Weasley's waving furiously at her, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder **

"Did you happen to do that on purpose?" Sirius asked.

"No, it wasn't. He was just enjoying the sun." Ron said.

"Hmm, that was his one mistake then." Remus said.

**and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.**

**Cris couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasley's, who were very nice and extremely poor.**

**She picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.**

_**Dear Cris,**_

_**Happy birthday!**_

_**Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call.**_

_**I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted.**_

_**It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one.**_

_**There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.**_

_**I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of its gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.**_

"Good, you really needed a new wand." Tonks said.

"What happened to his old one?" Gwen asked.

"It got snapped it half, when that happens it can't be repaired." Robin said.

"Well I know of one that has been repaired and is fully functioning." James said.

"Whose?" they asked.

"Well, we can tell but it would ruin the surprise, it will tell you at the end of the last book." Lily J said.

"Not cool," Padfoot said.

**Cris remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds.**

_**We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?**_

_**Don't let the Muggles get you down!**_

_**Try and come to London,**_

_**Ron**_

_**P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.**_

**Cris glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. **

"Of course he was," Prongs said.

"He wasn't even fun," Ron said.

"You got to have some fun in life." Bill said.

"I like my life the way that it is William." Percy said.

"So you like the fact that you abandoned the family?" Charlie asked.

"You know, that's what I don't understand." Cris said.

"Why don't you understand it?" Percy asked.

"You have a loving family, people that care about you and yet you threw them away to further your career. It makes absolutely no sense to me." Cris said. Percy turned red and turned away from her.

**He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun.**

**Cris now turned to her present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.**

_**Cris — this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup. **_

"That is why you don't accept anything from them Gwen." Bill said.

"Dully noted." Gwen said.

"Bill, you took," George said.

"All the fun out of it." Fred finished.

"You harm her in any way and I will hurt you." Cris said with a glare.

"We will never ever give her anything like what we gave Dudley." The twins said.

"Alright," Cris said with a smile.

"What did they give the twins?" Sirius asked with a wide grin on his face. The younger marauders looked interested as well.

"Fourth book, sorry Siri, Padfoot, dad." Cris said.

"We might forgive you." They responded.

_**Bye — Ron **_

**Cris put the Pocket Sneakoscope on her bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of her clock. She looked at it happily for a few seconds, and then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought.**

**Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione.**

_**Dear Cris,**_

_**Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right. **_

**Cris absently rubbed the bump on her head, it hurt for a while but now it was fine.**

"He hit you again." Sirius growled.

"What did he use?" Remus asked in a deathly quiet voice.

"He rammed my head into the wall." Cris mumbled. Tempers raised around the room and the twins were personally vowing to get her out of there if no one else would. When it quieted down Scarlett continued reading.

_**I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you — what if they'd opened it at customs? — but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change.**_

"You have a really smart owl then Cris." Gwen said.

"She is pretty smart." Keiran noted.

"You haven't met her?" Cris asked sadly.

"I have, she died when I was pretty young though." Keiran said.

"How long do I have with her?" Cris asked quietly with silent tears rolling down her face.

"I'm not entirely sure." Keiran said.

"Alright," Cris mumbled.

_**I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. **_

"Mia, do you even know me?" Ron asked amused.

"I thought you might have taken interest in it." Hermione said.

"Mia, this is Red we're talking about, you and me have to literally threaten to curse him if he doesn't do his homework." Cris said.

"That's true." Hermione said.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"They're exaggerating mum!" Ron protested.

"They better be." Mrs. Weasley said.

_**I'm really jealous — the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**_

_**There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not too long — it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.**_

"Now that is just ridiculous." Prongs said.

"That's worse than Moony!" Padfoot exclaimed.

"That's Hermione for you though." Ginny said.

_**Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!**_

_**Love from Hermione x**_

_**P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it. **_

"None of us were really;" Fred said.

"He just became a bigger prat about it all." George said.

"That doesn't surprise me." Sirius said.

**Cris laughed as she put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, she was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells**

"But it wasn't, it was so much better." Cris said.

"I know you very well my find and in fact I know that you would appreciate a book full of difficult spells just to prove that you could do them." Hermione said.

"It does sound intriguing." Cris said with a smile.

— **but it wasn't. Her heart gave a huge bound as she ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit. **

"That is a very good gift." Prongs said.

"I want one." Padfoot said.

"We'll think about it." Prongs and Moony said. Sirius and Remus looked sadly at their younger selves.

"I miss the old times." Sirius said in a whisper.

"I do too." Remus whispered back.

"We all do." Robin whispered placing a hand on her slightly distended belly.

**"Wow, Hermione!" Cris whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.**

**There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.**

**Apart from her friends, the thing that Cris missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch, the most popular sport in the magical world — highly dangerous, very exciting, and played on broomsticks. Cris happened to be a very good Quidditch player; she had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts House teams. One of Cris' most prized possessions was her Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom. **

"I miss that old broom." Cris said with a sigh.

"But now you have an even better one." Fred said.

"Courteous of you very helpful dogfather." George said. Everyone besides Gwen got the joke.

"Isn't it godfather?" she asked.

"Yeah, but Sirius can transform himself into a dog." Cris said. Sirius then transformed and back again.

"Ah, I get it now, very clever." Gwen said with a smile on her lips.

**Cris put the leather case aside and picked up her last parcel. She recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. She tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before she could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly — as though it had jaws.**

**Cris froze. She knew that Hagrid would never send her anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin. **

"Sounds like an interesting man." Gwen said.

"He's a really good friend, someone you would not want as your enemy." Cris said.

"So what did he get you?" Remus asked.

"A book." Cris said. But she repressed a grimace, that book could bite.

**Cris poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Cris reached for the lamp on her bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand, and raised it over her head, ready to strike. Then she seized the rest of the wrapping paper in her other hand and pulled.**

**And out fell — a book.**

**Cris just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title The Monster Book of Monsters, **

"Really creative name, that is." Gwen said.

"It is, but it describes it perfectly." Cris said. A number of the present students nodded in agreement.

**before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.**

**"Uh-oh," Cris muttered.**

**The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Cris followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under her desk. Praying that the Dursley's were still fast asleep, Cris got down on her hands and knees and reached toward it.**

**"Ouch!"**

**The book snapped shut on her hand and then flapped past her, still scuttling on its covers. Cris scrambled around, threw herself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.**

**Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as Cris clamped the struggling book tightly in her arms, hurried to her chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which she buckled tightly around it. The Monster Book shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Cris threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card.**

_**Dear Cris,**_

_**Happy Birthday!**_

_**Think you might find this useful for next year.**_

_**Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you.**_

_**Hope the Muggles are treating you right.**_

_**All the best,**_

_**Hagrid**_

"What in the world does that mean?" Padfoot asked.

"The book for a class maybe." Moony suggested.

**It struck Cris as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful, but she put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left.**

**Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Cris slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read:**

_**Dear Miss. Potter,**_

_**Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.**_

_**Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.**_

_**A list of books for next year is enclosed.**_

_**Yours sincerely,**_

_**Professor M. McGonagall**_

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

**Cris pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. **

"Oh yeah, you need to have parental permission." Prongs said with a grown.

"Don't worry its covered now." Sirius said.

"Thanks Pads!" Prongs said with a smile.

"Just doing my godfather duty." Sirius said with a big grin.

**It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; she knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and she had never set foot there. But how on earth was she going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form?**

**She looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.**

**Deciding that she'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when she woke up, Cris got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart she'd made for herself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. Then she took off her glasses and lay down; eyes open, facing her three birthday cards.**

**Extremely unusual though she was, at that moment Cris Potter felt just like everyone else — glad, for the first time in her life, that it was her birthday. **

"As you should feel every time." Lily said sadly.

"Don't worry mum, I'm just happy that I have friends that care about me. What more could I ask for?" Cris asked.

"You truly are remarkable." Remus said with a smile.

"Well that's the chapter. Mum, it's your turn." Scarlett said handing Robin the book. Robin accepted it and opened it to the second chapter.


	3. Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

**Note: I changed Cris' son Remus Wade to Remus Albus so now he is nicknames Al for the time being.**

"**Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake," **Robin read.

"Is she the one?" Ron asked.

"Yep," Cris said with a smile.

"Is she the one who what?" Sirius asked.

"You'll see later, and I had very good reason." Cris said.

"It better have been." Remus said.

**Cris went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursley's already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room. Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually. **

"Dear god he's gotten worse." Lily said.

"He's not like that in our time." James said.

"He actually lost a lot of weight." Lily J said.

"That's good; that could have been really bad for him." Mrs. Weasley said.

**Cris sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of moustache. Far from wishing Cris a happy birthday, none of the Dursley's made any sign that they had noticed Cris enter the room, but Cris was far too used to this to care. She helped herself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict.**

**"… the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately." **

"Black? Is that me?" Padfoot asked.

"Yes," Sirius said.

"How in the world did you escape is what I want to know." Prongs said.

"You know me; you can never keep me locked up for long." Sirius said.

"That's certainly true." Moony said.

**"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!" **

"What's wrong with my hair?" Padfoot asked.

"It didn't look very good." Remus said.

"But my hair," Padfoot groaned.

"It's fine now, see, just as silky as it always has been." Sirius said.

"And it took you how long?" Robin asked.

"Shut it you." Sirius said.

**He shot a nasty look sideways at Cris, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Cris felt very well groomed indeed. **

Sirius busted out laughing.

"Well at the time I was Siri," Cris said.

"I know, and at the time I found it to be rather annoying." Sirius said.

"I believe it. I was the one who had to cut it." Robin said.

**The reporter had reappeared.**

**"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"**

**"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!" **

Cris and Sirius shared a look and laughed.

"He was up the street from the house?" Tonks asked with a smile.

"Well maybe not this day but later on he was." Cris said.

"I don't really want to know do I?" Prongs asked.

"Not really." Sirius said.

**Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Cris knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.**

**"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?" **

"Hanging, that's a little medieval isn't." Gwen said.

"That's my uncle for you." Cris said.

"I'm so glad that didn't happen." Sirius said.

"We all are." Remus said.

**"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans. **

"She'll never change, will she?" Lily asked.

"Probably not." Cris said.

"Well, she is still like that but has calmed down a lot since Vernon died." James said.

"Yeah, but not much. Then again we rarely see her so." Lily J said.

**Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."**

**Cris, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump. **

"That didn't sound good." Robin said.

"No, Aunt Marge hates me just as much if not more than my aunt and uncle." Cris said.

"I find that hard to believe." Remus said.

"You'll see," Cris mumbled.

**"Aunt Marge?" Cris blurted out. "Sh-she's not coming here, is she?"**

**Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Cris' (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), she had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all her life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs.**

**She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, **

"But dogs are great." Sirius said.

"I like dogs but I have had bad experiences with her dogs." Cris said.

"Come on, it can't be that bad." Padfoot said.

"You'd be surprised." Cris said.

**but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Cris' mind.**

**At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Cris around the shins with her walking stick **

"Okay, now I see what you mean." Robin said.

"Please tell me that it is the worst." Sirius said.

"Not exactly," Cris mumbled.

**to stop her from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Cris. **

"Serious?" Prongs asked.

"Dog biscuits aren't that bad though." Padfoot said.

"Do I even want to know how you know that?" Bill asked.

"Not really no." Padfoot said.

"It was a dare, and that is all that I'm saying." Sirius said.

"Ah, not cool." The twins said.

**On her last visit, the year before Cris started at Hogwarts, Cris had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Cris out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. **

"Now that is just ridiculous." Lily said.

"No one should treat a child that way." Mrs. Weasley said.

"How are you not afraid of dogs after that?" Ron asked.

"I move past it, besides it was really nice in the tree for a while any way." Cris said.

"For a while?" James asked his mum.

"Yeah, I find trees peaceful, that is until I have a deranged dog barking up at me." Cris said.

"Yeah, that would be a bummer." Al said.

"He loves climbing trees just like Ryker." Lily J said.

"So they get it from mum." James said.

**The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.**

**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Cris, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."**

**Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Cris being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment. **

"He needs to find a new hobby." Sirius said.

"No kidding," Remus said.

"His new hobby isn't that good either." Cris said.

"Do we want to know?" Prongs asked.

"Not really," Cris said.

**"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."**

**"All right," said Cris bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me." **

"That's right, stick it to the man!" James shouted.

"Don't mind him he watches to many movies." Lily J said.

"Hey School of Rock rocks!" James said.

"Keep telling yourself that James," Keiran said.

"There are better movies out there." Teddy said.

"Hey Jack Black is awesome!" James said.

"Black?" Padfoot asked.

"He's a Muggle actor." Victoire said.

"Remember I said a lot of the pure blood family names are common in the Muggle world." Cris said.

"Oh yeah." Padfoot said.

**"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Cris' reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any — any funny stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"**

**"I will if she does," said Cris through gritted teeth.**

"Okay sweetie, I know that this sucks but please keep your temper in check." Lily said.

"I tried mum," Cris said.

"Do we want to know what happened?" Charlie asked.

"It was bloody awesome!" Ron and the twins shouted.

"Alright then, I can't wait to see what you did." Sirius said rubbing his hands together.

**"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Bernadette's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Girls." **

Eyes were wide and mouths dropped around the room.

"WHAT?!" they asked in disbelief.

"It's true, my parents wouldn't believe it though, they've met Cris a few times and they think that she is sweet." Gwen said.

"That means that your parents aren't idiots." Fred said.

"Thanks, I think." Gwen said.

"You're welcome!" George said with a smile.

"Are they always like this?" Gwen asked.

"Yep," was the response she got from around the room.

**"What?" Cris yelled.**

**"And you'll be sticking to that story, girl, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.**

**Cris sat there, white-faced and furious; she was having a hard time keeping her hair black, **

Cris didn't have any problems now and it turned bright red.

"That is so cool." Gwen said.

"Tonks is better at it than I am." Cris said. With that Tonks then changed her hair and her nose.

"I love magic." Gwen breathed.

"Anyway, I can see why you were mad." Ginny said.

"Anyone would be." Lily said.

"Man, I'd hate to be her uncle right about now." Fred said.

"I wouldn't want to be her uncle period." George said.

"Agreed," Fred said.

**staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a weeklong visit — it was the worst birthday present the Dursley's had ever given her, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

**"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"**

**"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Cris. **

"I really don't like my nephew." Prongs said.

"Neither do I. I really want to know what my sister did to him." Lily said.

"Spoiled him rotten, that's what." Cris said.

**"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie."**

**Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.**

**"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.**

**Cris, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. Abandoning her toast, she got quickly to her feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door.**

**Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.**

**"I'm not taking you," he snarled as he turned to see Cris watching him.**

**"Like I wanted to come," said Cris coldly. "I want to ask you something." **

"What did you want to ask him?" Lily asked.

"It's obvious; it's about the Hogsmeade form." Sirius said.

"When did you get so smart?" Prongs asked.

"I've always been smart." Padfoot and Sirius said together.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Scarlett said.

"Yeah, dad's old and he's still like this." Keiran said.

"Old? How old?" Sirius asked.

"Well if my just turned 36 that makes you in your fifties." Lily J said.

"Man, you're old." Prongs said with a smile.

"Not as old as Dumbledore." Sirius said.

"That's true," Keiran said.

"Why thank you Mr. Black." Dumbledore said with a smile and the twinkle in his eyes.

**Uncle Vernon eyed her suspiciously.**

**"Third years at Hog — at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Cris.**

**"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.**

**"I need you to sign the permission form," said Cris in a rush.**

**"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.**

"Because it would be a nice thing to do for your niece." Tonks said.

"That is if they allowed her to go even with the permission form." Lily said.

"Which we weren't," McGonagall said.

"I thought that would happen." Cris said.

**"Well," said Cris, choosing her words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits…"**

**"St. Bernadette's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Girls!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Cris was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.**

**"Exactly," said Cris, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?" **

**"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Cris with his fist raised. **

"He didn't hit you did he?" Sirius asked.

"No, he was just warning me." Cris said.

**But Cris stood her ground.**

**Aunt Petunia appeared **

"What is she doing?" Lily asked.

"Trying to stop him, she does when she is around if she thinks that he is about to hit me." Cris said.

"At least there's that." Sirius said.

**by the door chewing the inside of her mouth as she watched her husband and niece's conversation.**

**"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," she said grimly.**

"That certainly is true." McGonagall said.

**Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce. **

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia said warningly. **

"See, when she's around he doesn't hit me." Cris said.

"That's a good thing at least." Lily said.

"Very good," Sirius said.

**"But if you sign my permission form," Cris went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug — like I'm normal and everything."**

**Cris could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.**

**"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."**

**"Thank you," Cris said gratefully.**

"I'm guessing that he didn't sign them?" Remus asked.

"No exactly," Cris said.

"Did you lose your temper?" Sirius asked.

"You can say that." Cris said.

"Do I even want to know why?" Lily asked.

"Probably not," Cris said.

**He ignored her and wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out. **

"Now he is just going to get mad about that and have to pay for someone to come and fix it." Al said.

"No kidding." Cris said.

**Cris didn't return to the kitchen. She went back upstairs to her bedroom. If she was going to act like a real Muggle, she'd better start now. Slowly and sadly she gathered up all her presents and her birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with her homework. Then she went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Cris sighed, then poked them both awake.**

**"Hedwig," she said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" — Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful — **

"She didn't want to leave you." James said.

"It certainly seems like it." Lily said.

**"it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione."**

"Ah, the things you would do to be with your friends." Padfoot said.

"Yep, I would do anything for them." Cris said.

"And vice versa." Hermione said. They smiled at each other and Robin continued.

**Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Cris, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe.**

**But Cris didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Cris to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.**

**"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as she reached the hall.**

**Cris couldn't see the point of trying to make her hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing her, so the untidier she looked, the happier she would be. **

"Besides, I couldn't even if I tried." Cris said.

"Me neither," Prongs, James, and Al said.

"I didn't get that trait." Lily J said.

"Lucky," Cris said.

**All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.**

**"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Cris.**

**A feeling of great gloom in her stomach, Cris pulled the door open.**

**On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a moustache, though not as bushy as his. **

"What a beautiful woman." Bill said.

"I would date her," Charlie said.

"I would love," Fred said.

"To see that." George said.

"It would be," Lily J said.

"Hilarious," James said.

"Oh no, two sets of trouble making twins." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I don't know; Nick and Becca can be just as bad." Al said.

"Who are Nick and Becca?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Uncle Charlie's twins." Lily J said.

"I have a set of twins?" Charlie asked.

"So does Aunt Ginny, but her set is identical." James said.

"Oh great." Ginny said.

"Three sets of twins." Mr. Weasley said.

"Yep although Frank and Eric aren't that bad." Teddy said.

"Thank god," Ginny and Neville said. Some of the group chuckled and Robin continued.

**In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.**

**"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?" **

"Man if your cousin wasn't such a git I would feel sorry for him." Sirius said.

"Dudley doesn't really have good nicknames." Cris said, "Although there is one that isn't too bad."

"And what is that?" Padfoot asked with a certain glee in his eyes.

"Big D," Cris and Gwen said.

"Well, that makes sense." Charlie said.

**Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Cris' stomach, knocking the wind out of her, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.**

**Cris knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist. **

"Wow," James said.

"That just isn't right," Al said.

"At least none of our cousins are like that." Victoire said.

"That is a good thing." Mrs. Weasley and Lily said.

**"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Cris as though she was a hat-stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone.**

**Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.**

**"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"**

**"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer,"**

"She even spoils her dog." Charlie said with distaste.

"She'll spoil that bloody dog until the day that she dies or the dog, whichever comes first." Cris said.

"More than likely." Lily said.

**said Aunt Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Cris alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Cris wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by her, so she began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as she could. **

"I would too if I were you." Padfoot said.

"You and this woman must really dislike like each other." Moony said.

"That is putting it lightly." Cris said.

**By the time she got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Cris saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.**

"Well that hasn't changed." Lily said.

"What about Hedwig?" Prongs asked.

"She tolerates her, but Aunt Petunia rarely comes into my bedroom." Cris said.

**"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.**

**"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me." **

"I think it's more like thanking which ever deity is out there that he is away from that woman." Lily J said.

"Nah, it because he is just as bad as her." Cris said.

"Now that is crazy." Scarlett said.

**Ripper began to growl again as Cris sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Cris for the first time.**

**"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"**

**"Yes," said Cris.**

**"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."**

**Cris was bursting to say that she'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursley's, but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped her. She forced her face into a painful smile. **

"You're not going to last too long are you?" Sirius asked.

"You'll just have to read and find out." Cris said with a smile.

**"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache, and said, "Where is it that you send her, again, Vernon?"**

**"St. Bernadette's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."**

**"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Bernadette's, girl?" she barked across the table.**

**"Er —"**

**Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.**

**"Yes," said Cris. Then, feeling she might as well do the thing properly, she added, "All the time." **

The adults were fuming and the kids were silent.

**"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. **

"Cris doesn't deserve it!" the twins yelled.

"Fred, George, it's alright, I'm fine," Cris said.

"But has she seen you misbehave?" Fred asked.

"Or cause trouble of any kind?" George asked.

"Well no," Cris said.

"Then how," George said.

"Does she know," Fred said.

"That you deserve it?" they asked together.

**A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?"**

**"Oh, yeah," said Cris, "loads of times."**

**Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.**

**"I still don't like your tone, girl," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. **

Animalistic growling could be heard from a number of people.

**Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this girl's case." **

"And yet we haven't gotten a letter." Dumbledore said.

"That would have been kind of funny if you did." Charlie said.

"But then they would have known about the abuse sooner." Bill said.

"That's true." Lily said.

**Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Cris might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.**

**"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"**

**As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Cris caught herself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Cris to stay out of their way, which Cris was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Cris under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for her improvement. She delighted in comparing Cris with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Cris, as though daring her to ask why she hadn't got a present too. **

"I wouldn't want something from her anyway." Cris said.

"Good, she might have poisoned or done something awful to it." Tonks said.

"I can see her doing that." Cris said.

**She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Cris such an unsatisfactory person.**

**"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the girl's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."**

**Cris tried to concentrate on her food, but her hands shook and her face was starting to burn with anger. Remember the form, she told herself. Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise — **

"Good, you're keeping your anger in check." Hermione said.

"I try my hardest." Cris said with a grin.

**Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.**

**"When she gets herself pregnant, **

"Hey, mum didn't have us until she was almost 22." Lily J said.

"And she was married." James said.

"So she wasn't living with you, you big fat jerk." Al said.

"They are definitely Cris' kids." Sirius said with a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" James, Lily J and Al asked.

"Exactly what I said." Sirius said.

**just kick her out Vernon. It's only a matter of time. It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup —"**

**At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping. **

"You broke the glass?" Prongs asked.

"Yeah," Cris said.

"That's extremely rare for someone your age to still have bouts of accidental magic." Dumbledore said.

"I knew you were powerful, but I had no idea about the accidental magic." Remus said. Cris blushed and looked away.

"Don't hide Bambi," George said.

"That's a good thing, a compliment." Fred said.

"It's happened to us too mum," Lily J said.

"Really?" Cris asked.

"Yep," James said.

"It's kind of annoying but it happens." Al said.

"Especially when Connor and Ryker do it as well." James said.

"That's normal though." Cris said.

"I know," James said with a smirk.

**"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"**

**"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip…"**

**But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Cris suspiciously, so she decided she'd better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as she could.**

**Outside in the hall, she leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since she'd lost control and made something explode. She couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake — if she carried on like that, she'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.**

**Cris was still an underage witch, and she was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. Her record wasn't exactly clean either. Only last summer she'd gotten an official warning that had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Cris would face expulsion from Hogwarts. **

"But that wasn't your fault." Padfoot said.

"They don't care; I'm the only witch in the area so they think that I did it." Cris said.

"That is so not cool." James said. Cris reached over and ruffled his hair.

"Mum," James cried.

"Wow, that is just what I would do." Prongs said.

"Yes it is," Padfoot and Moony said.

**She heard the Dursley's leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way.**

**Cris got through the next three days by forcing herself to think about her Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare whenever Aunt Marge started on her. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give her a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that she was mentally subnormal. **

"No she isn't, she's just trying to control her temper." Hermione said.

"You know, I feel sorry for Marge." Ron said.

"Me too," Sirius said.

"Why?" Prongs asked.

"Have you been on the opposite side of her temper?" Ron asked.

"No," Prongs said.

"Count yourself lucky then." Sirius said.

**At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived.**

**Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Cris' faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.**

**"Can I tempt you, Marge?"**

**Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red. **

"I'm guessing that she can't handle the alcohol." Bill said.

"Not really," Cris said.

"She kind of reminds me of a baboon." Al said.

"I can see that." Lily said smiling at her grandson.

**"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that… and a bit more… that's the ticket." **

"How full was it?" Remus asked.

"Almost to the brim." Cris said.

"Good grief," Sirius said.

"I know, sadly she didn't finish it," Cris said.

"What did you do?" Prongs asked.

"I got mad." Cris said simply.

**Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Cris really wanted to disappear into her bedroom, but she met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew she would have to sit it out.**

**"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. **

"Bloody Hell," Al said.

"I've never seen anyone drink that much other than Hagrid." Lily J said.

"I don't think anyone can out drink Hagrid." Victoire said.

"No probably not." Keiran said smile over at Victoire. She gave him a dazzling smile back and Robin continued.

**"Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after…" She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, **

"Proper sized?" Fred asked.

"More like so fat he can barely walk." George said.

"Dudley actually lost a lot of weight." James said.

"I think it's from boxing." Al said.

"Boxing?" the purebloods asked.

"A sport where you hit people." Cris said.

"Sounds barbaric." Draco said.

"It is," Lily J, Cris, Lily and Hermione said.

"It's awesome," James and Al said.

"Wow," everyone said.

"Though, I'd rather play quidditch." James said.

"Me too," Al said.

"Oh good," George said.

"For a second I thought," Fred said.

"That you weren't ours." They said together.

**Dudders, like your father. **

"He does look like Vernon, but with blonde hair." Keiran said.

"Except now he's more buff than fat." Teddy said.

**Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon… Now, this one here —"**

**She jerked her head at Cris, who felt her stomach clench. The Handbook, she thought quickly.**

**"This one's got a mean, runty look about her. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred." **

Eyes widened once again.

"Did she just insinuate that you should have been drowned?" Remus asked in a deathly quiet voice. Cris didn't answer which confirmed the question.

"What a bitch," Sirius growled.

"If I ever get my hands on her…" Prongs growled.

"She is lucky that I have never met her…" Charlie growled. The threats kept coming until they finally calmed down. Cris looked over at the twins were red from anger.

"It's okay, she got everything she deserved." Cris said.

"Did she get brutally murdered?" Fred asked.

"Well no, but I did lose control." Cris said.

"Then I can't wait to see it." George said.

**Cris was trying to remember page twelve of her book: A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers.**

**"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" — she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us." **

"She just said that about Lily?" Prongs asked furiously. Lily grabbed his hand to try and calm him down.

"How dare she say something like that about someone kind hearted!" Moony shouted.

**Cris was staring at her plate, a funny ringing in her ears. Grasp your broom firmly by the tail, she thought. But she couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into her like one of Uncle Vernon's drills. **

"This is why you ran away wasn't it?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah," Cris said.

"I really don't want to know what was said." Mr. Weasley said.

**"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"**

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.**

**"He — didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Cris. "Unemployed." **

"No he wasn't!" Remus, Sirius, Robin and McGonagall shouted.

"He was a very talented Auror." Moody said.

"I was an Auror?" Prongs asked.

"You and Sirius were in it together. In fact you had just finished when you were killed." Remus said.

"How come nobody ever told me that?" Cris asked.

"We didn't think about it." McGonagall said.

"Alright," Cris said.

**"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —" **

"And cue Cris' explosion." Ron said.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked.

"No one ever gets away with bad mouthing Cris' parents." Hermione said.

"Good," Prongs said.

**"He was not," said Cris suddenly. The table went very quiet. Cris was shaking all over. She had never felt so angry in her life.**

**"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, girl," he snarled at Cris. "Go to bed, go on —"**

**"No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Cris. "Go on, girl, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? **

"Very, and nothing you could say can change that." Cris said. Lily and Prongs smiled and ran over to hug Cris tightly.

**They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) —"**

**"Yeah I am, and they didn't die in a car crash!" said Cris, who found herself on her feet.**

**"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. **

**"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Cris bellowed, the lights began to flicker. **

"Oh dear, she's not mad." Hermione said.

"She's livid." Ron said.

**"You are an insolent, ungrateful little —"**

**But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger — but the swelling didn't stop. **

"Wow, you're literally blowing her up." Ginny said.

"I thought you meant explode." Ron said.

"That would have been kind of difficult for the ministry." Cris said.

"Who cares," those in the present said.

**Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech — next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls — she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami… **

Everyone was now laughing so hard they could hardly breathe.

**"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.**

**"NOOOOOOO!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg. **

"Good dog," Sirius and Padfoot said through their laughter.

**Cris tore from the dining room before anyone could stop her, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as she reached it. **

"Damn," Sirius said.

"Remind me never to get her mad." Padfoot said.

"Alright," Prongs and Moony said.

**In seconds, she had heaved her trunk to the front door. She sprinted upstairs and threw herself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of her books and birthday presents. She wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to her trunk and pulled out her wand, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters. **

"Aw, poor baby, does it hurt?" Keiran asked.

"I hope so." Teddy said.

**"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"**

**"NO. She deserved it," Cris said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got."**

**Uncle Vernon charged towards her, **

"Don't you dare try it," the twins said.

**she pointed her wand to his face. **

**"You keep away from me." Cris said.**

**"You can't go back now, you have nowhere to go." He sneered.**

**She fumbled behind her for the latch on the door.**

**"I don't care. I'm going," Cris said. "Anywhere is better than here, I've had enough."**

**And in the next moment, she was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving her heavy trunk behind her, Hedwig's cage under her arm. **

"Well that's the chapter." Robin said.

"So now you're running away." Prongs said.

"Where do you go?" Lily asked.

"Somewhere." Cris said.

"Well it's my turn." Remus said. He opened the book and began reading the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 3: The Knight Bus

"**Chapter 3: The Knight Bus," **Remus read.

"I hate that thing!" Padfoot exclaimed.

"I think we all do Pads," Prongs said.

"Alright, I'm just stating that I don't like it." Padfoot said.

"We get it." Moony said.

**Cris was several streets away before she collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging her trunk. She sat quite still, anger still surging through her, listening to the frantic thumping of her heart.**

**But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook her: panic. Whichever way she looked at it, she had never been in a worse fix. Then suddenly she heard something behind her. **

"What was it?" Lily asked in a panic filled voice.

"A friend." Cris said.

"**Cris! What are you doing out here?" her friend Gwen asked. **

**Cris sighed in relief; Gwen was her first Muggle friend. They met few times over the years whenever the Dursley's let her out. Gwen was about as tall as Cris with blonde wavy hair and green eyes. Unlike Cris, Gwen's eyes were dark and flecked with brown. **

"**I had to get out, I'm leaving." Cris said. Gwen came over and sat down next to me. **

"**Where are you going to go?" Gwen asked. **

"**I don't know yet, probably London." Cris said with a shrug. **

"**You can always come to my place." Gwen said. **

"**Thanks Gwen but I can't. Why don't you just go home. I'm sure that your parents are worried about you." Cris said. **

"**There's no convincing you is there?" Gwen asked with a sigh.**

"**No, just go, I'll be fine." Cris said. **

"**Alright, fine, but call me when you get the chance." Gwen said. Cris nodded and gave her a hug and Gwen hurried off home. **

"That's it?" Lily asked.

"Pretty much, I've learned that arguing is pointless with her." Gwen said.

"That's true, she stubborn." Hermione said.

"Thanks," Cris said with a glare.

"You're very welcome." Hermione and Gwen said.

**Cris then realized the she was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was; she had just done serious magic, which meant that she was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. She had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly; she was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on her where she sat. **

"You didn't intentionally do it though, so you're fine." Mr. Weasley said.

"I didn't know that at the time." Cris said with a mock pout.

**Cris shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent.**

**What, was going to happen to her? Would she be arrested, or would she simply be outlawed from the wizarding world? She thought of Ron and Hermione, and her heart sank even lower. Cris was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help her now, but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, she had no means of contacting them. **

"We would have helped you no matter what." Hermione said.

"Yeah," Ron agreed.

**She didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of her trunk, but the rest of the fortune her parents had left her was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. She'd never be able to drag her trunk all the way to London. Unless…**

**She looked down at her wand, which she was still clutching in her hand. If she was already expelled (her heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. She had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from her father — what if she bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to her broomstick, covered herself in the cloak, and flew to London? **

"No don't do that!" Remus exclaimed.

"I didn't, you don't have to worry about that." Cris said.

"Good, because that was a very stupid plan." Lily said.

"I know," Cris said.

**Then she could get the rest of her money out of her vault and… begin her life as an outcast. It was a horrible prospect, but she couldn't sit on this wall forever, or she'd find herself trying to explain to Muggle police why she was out in the dead of night with a trunk full of spell books and a broomstick. **

"That would have been bad." Sirius said.

"Why didn't I notice all this?" Gwen asked.

"Maybe because you were worried about me." Cris suggested.

"Yeah, I can see that." Gwen said.

**Cris opened her trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak — but before she had found it, she straightened up suddenly, looking around her once more.**

**A funny prickling on the back of her neck had made Cris feel she was being watched, **

"Good instincts." Moody said.

**but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.**

**She bent over her trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, her hand clenched on her wand. She had sensed rather than heard it: **

"You could sense that?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, it was pretty weird." Cris said.

**someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind her. Cris squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then she'd know whether it was just a stray cat or — something else.**

**"Lumos," Cris muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. She held it high over her head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Cris saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. **

Everyone turned to Sirius who smiled sheepishly.

"I didn't mean to scare you pup." Sirius said.

"It's alright, Siri." Cris said with a smiled.

"How did you find her?" Remus asked.

"It was a coincidence. I was just resting in an alley and I heard her talking. I was curious so I went to look." Sirius said.

"You had no idea you were near her?" Robin asked.

"No," Sirius said shaking his head.

**Cris stepped backward. Her legs hit her trunk and she tripped. Her wand flew out of her hand as she flung out an arm to break her fall, and she landed, hard, in the gutter. **

"You weren't hurt, were you?" Lily asked.

"Nope," Cris said with a smile.

**There was a deafening BANG, and Cris threw up her hands to shield her eyes against a sudden blinding light…**

**With a yell, she rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Cris had just been lying.**

**They belonged, as Cris saw when she raised her head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus. **

"Would have hit her if she hadn't moved?" Gwen asked.

"No, it would have moved her." Robin said.

"That's good," Gwen said.

**For a split second, Cris wondered if she had been knocked silly by her fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.**

**"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve—"**

**The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Cris, who was still sitting on the ground. Cris snatched up her wand again and scrambled to her feet. Close up, she saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than she was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.**

**"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.**

**"Fell over," said Cris.**

**"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan. **

"She didn't do it on purpose." The twins said. Cris chuckled a little.

**"I didn't do it on purpose," **

"Now that is just weird." The twins said.

"They were made for each other." Padfoot whispered to Moony.

"No kidding," Moony whispered back.

**said Cris, annoyed. One of the knees in her jeans was torn, and the hand she had thrown out to break her fall was bleeding. She suddenly remembered why she had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.**

**"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.**

**"There was a big black thing," said Cris, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog… but massive…"**

**She looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Cris saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Cris' forehead.**

**"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly. **

"And cue the attention." Ron said.

"Not exactly," Cris said.

"You mean he didn't guess who you were?" Remus asked.

"No, he isn't the brightest crayon in the box, if you know what I mean." Cris said.

"Ah," Remus said.

**"Nothing," said Cris quickly, flattening her hair over her scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for her, she didn't want to make it too easy for them. **

"You didn't have to hide." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I was young and naïve." Cris said.

"You're not that naïve." Robin said.

**"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.**

**"Gwen Johnson," said Cris, saying the first name that came into her head. **

"Why my name?" Gwen asked.

"Because you're a Muggle and it would be harder for them to track down." Cris said.

"Good idea, Potter," Moody said nodding his head.

**"So — so this bus," she went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"**

**"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?" **

"All an accident." Ron said. Cris glared at him and he cringed.

**"Yes," said Cris quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"**

**"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, **

"Don't get the hot chocolate." Remus said. His friends stared at him.

"Are you feeling alright?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, if you are on that bus don't get the hot chocolate because you'll end up with scolding hot chocolate all over you." Remus said.

"Ah, now that makes more sense." Prongs said.

**and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."**

**Cris rummaged once more in her trunk, extracted her money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. She and Stan then lifted her trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.**

**There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows.**

"It changes when its day." Tonks said.

"That's weird." Gwen said.

"A little," Cris said.

**Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep. **

A few people snickered.

**"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Cris' trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Gwen Johnson, Ern."**

**Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Cris, who nervously flattened her fringe again and sat down on her bed. Then she noticed what looked like a voodoo doll head and it was laughing at her. **

"That really creeped me out." Cris said.

"Those things are really rude." Lily J said.

"Just a little." Remus said.

**"Take'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.**

**"Yeah take it away Ernie!" said the head laughing again; it spoke with a Carrabin accent. "It's gunna be a bumpy ride." **

"Just a bit." Cris said.

"How bumpy?" Gwen asked.

"Like an old dirt road." Cris said.

"That doesn't sound like fun." Gwen said.

"It isn't," said those who have ridden on it.

**There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Cris found herself flat on her bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling herself up, Cris stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Cris' stunned face with great enjoyment. **

"That might have been amusing." Bill said.

"Yeah well, just when I have thought I knew everything there was to the wizarding world something else pops up." Cris said.

"That tends to happen." Snape sneered.

**"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"**

**"Ar," said Ernie.**

**"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Cris.**

**"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."**

**"No, but if you gab um with a fork they feed." The head said cackling again. **

**"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."**

**Stan passed Cris' bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Cris was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. **

"He doesn't," Remus agreed.

"I don't think I want to get on the night bus." Gwen said.

"Good, because only witches and wizards can use it." Robin said.

**The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed. **

"Sounds entertaining." Gwen said.

"It kind of is." Al said.

**Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a travelling cloak.**

**"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag **

"Well that is rude." Gwen said.

"Just a little," Cris said.

"She didn't do that to your stuff right?" Remus asked.

"No," Cris said shaking her head with a smile on her face.

**out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way. **

**Cris wouldn't have been able to sleep even if she had been travelling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. Her stomach churned as she fell back to wondering what was going to happen to her, and whether the Dursley's had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. **

"The accidental magic squad is probably already there and erased that memory from them." Mr. Weasley said.

"Or just from Marge." Sirius said.

**Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Cris from the front page. **

**"That man!" Cris said, forgetting her troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"**

**Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.**

**"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Gwen. Where you been, **

"Stuck in the Muggle world." Robin answered.

"Which sucks, because I don't know what's going on." Cris said with a scowl.

"That is why you get the Prophet." Prongs said.

"Well I did but now they don't print the truth anymore." Cris said.

"What in the world are they doing?" Padfoot asked.

"Spreading lies," Remus said.

**Stan gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Cris' face, removed the front page, and handed it to Cris.**

**"You oughta read the papers more, Gwen."**

**Cris held the paper up to the candlelight and read:**

_**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**_

_**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."**_

_**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.**_

_**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?" **_

"Well that's true." Tonks said.

"What in the world did you do?" Lily asked.

"Nothing, they just imprisoned me because they thought that I killed a bunch of people." Sirius said.

"Didn't they give you a trial?" Prongs asked.

"No," Sirius said.

"Yes they did!" Percy exclaimed.

"No, they didn't." Mr. Weasley said.

"But the Minister told me they did." Percy said.

"No Mr. Weasley, they did not." McGonagall said. Percy stared in shock, he didn't know this, could it be true that Black was innocent?' he thought.

_**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.**_

**Cris looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Cris had never met a vampire, but she had seen pictures of them in her Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. **

"Now that would be funny, a werewolf and a vampire friends." Hermione said.

"It's a classic tale of a forbidden friendship." Teddy said.

"Are you kidding me?" Sirius asked with a smile on his face.

"Nope, you looked like a want to be Dracula." Cris said. This caused everyone to laugh.

**Yet, at the same time there was something oddly familiar about him, his name sounded oddly familiar. **

"You could remember him?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Some distant memories and dreams." Cris said.

"Really?" Sirius asked surprised. Cris nodded and Remus continued.

**"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Cris read.**

**"He murdered thirteen people?" said Cris, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"**

**"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"**

**"Ar," said Ern darkly.**

**Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Cris.**

**"Don't go tellin' me you'd never been hearin of Sirius Black?" Cris shook her head. Stan leaned closer to her. **

**"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said. "Reckon you 'eard of 'im." **

**"Yeah," said Cris turning her head so the right side of her face was hidden from Stan, "Voldemort I've heard of." **

"And now it's going to cause him to freak out." Charlie said.

"Yeah, I should have thought that out a bit more." Cris said rubbing the back of her neck.

**Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.**

**"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"**

**"Sorry," said Cris hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"**

**"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"**

**"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Cris prompted apologetically. **

"No, I would die before I join that psycho." Padfoot said.

"What I want to know is why you berate me about saying You-Know-Who but with random strangers you don't say anything." Ron grumbled. Cris smiled at him.

"That's because I know you and I don't know them, Red." Cris said. Ron grumbled but Cris smiled sweetly.

**"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say… anyway, when little Cristal Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" — **

"That must have been weird for you." Luna said.

"Just a bit." Cris said.

**Cris nervously flattened her fringe down again — "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.**

**"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.**

**"What?" said Cris.**

**"Laughed," **

"So he was in shock." Prongs said.

"Plus stress and grief." Moony said.

"That's why he laughed?" Bill asked.

"More than likely," Remus said.

"I always thought that it was because he was mad." Charlie said.

"Well he is a bit mad." Robin said.

"Hey!" Sirius and Padfoot said.

"What it's true." Tonks said. Sirius and Padfoot mock pouted but they both had a smile one their faces.

**said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"**

**"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you… after what he did…"**

**"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"**

**"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie. **

"That's a pretty decent explanation." Victoire said.

"You don't know the story?" Bill asked.

"We know the truth, not the lie." Scarlett said.

"Good, there is no need to be spreading lies." Robin said.

**"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"**

**Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."**

"Me too," Sirius and Cris shivered.

"You've been around Dementors?" Prongs asked.

"This year was my first time." Cris muttered.

**"Yeah the collywobbles." Laughed the head, Cris looked at it nervously.**

**Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Crus leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. She couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.**

**"'Ear about that Cristal Potter? Blew up 'er aunt! We 'ad 'er 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? She was tryin' to run for it…"**

"You think some really strange things sometimes." Tonks said laughing.

"Glad I amuse you." Cris said.

**She, Cris, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black.**

**Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land her in Azkaban? Cris didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone she'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Cris wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Cris knew. **

"It is hard to imagine Hagrid being terrified." Prongs said.

"I can't picture it." Padfoot said.

**The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Cris lay, restless and miserable, on her feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Cris had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over Cris' pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. **

"Don't blame them one bit." Remus said.

"The poor, poor chocolate." Al and Teddy said.

"Are you sure that Teddy is Remus' only son?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, besides Al looks just like Fred and George." Charlie said.

"Just with Cris' black hair." Bill said.

"Thank you Uncle Bill, Uncle Charlie." Al said.

"You're welcome squirt." Charlie said.

**Finally, Cris was the only passenger left. **

**"Right then, Gwen," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"**

**"Diagon Alley," said Cris.**

**"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."**

**BANG.**

**They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Cris sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. But then right in front of them were two double decor bus. **

**"Ernie two double decor buses up ahead." said the head, "There getting closer Ernie. Ernie there right on the bus!" **

"Is the head giving him directions?" Gwen asked her eyebrows raised in shock.

"Yep," Cris said.

**Ernie pulled a lever to his right side causing the bus to stretch along with the people inside. **

**"Mind your head," the head said then started laughing, "Hey guys, guys why the long faces!" he was cackling again now. **

"I like this head." The twins said.

"Can you imagine if they actually got one of those things?" Ginny asked.

"That would be really bad." Neville said.

**The sky was getting a little lighter. She would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off — where, she didn't know.**

**Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.**

**"Thanks," Cris said to Ern.**

**She jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower her trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement.**

**"Well," said Cris. "Bye then!"**

**But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. **

"Oh dear, who's there?" Lily asked.

"Someone I didn't think would be there." Cris said.

**"There you are, Cris," said a voice.**

**Before Cris could turn, she felt a hand on her shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"**

**Cris looked up at the owner of the hand on her shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into her stomach — she had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. **

"Merlin, he came down himself." Tonks said.

"What I want to know is how he knew I was going to be there." Cris said.

"It's kind of obvious, that's the only magical place you've been to besides Hogwarts." Remus said.

"I guess." Cris said.

**Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.**

**"What didja call Gwen, Minister?" he said excitedly.**

**Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.**

**"Gwen?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Cristal Potter."**

**"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. **

"Sure you did," Fred said.

"If you did then I would cut my hair." George said.

"Don't cut your hair, it looks nice like that." Cris said. George gave her a smirk and kissed her and then Fred kissed her as well.

**"Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Gwen is, Ern! She's Cristal Potter! I can see 'er scar!"**

**"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Cris up, but she and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now…"**

**Fudge increased the pressure on Cris' shoulder, and Cris found herself being steered inside the pub. **

"I bet she asks why she doesn't get punished." Ron said.

"And why would she do that?" Prongs asked.

"Because it's Cris." Ron said.

"I can see her doing that." Remus said.

**A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.**

**"You've got her, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"**

**"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Cris. **

"Funny, he seemed to be worried then but not a few months ago." Cris said.

"I know; that was just utter bullshit." Sirius said.

"Why, what happened a few months ago?" Lily asked worriedly.

"Something that gave her the excuse to use magic." Remus said.

"I really don't want to know." Prongs said.

**There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Cris' trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.**

**"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Gwen?" said Stan,**

"And yet he is still calling her Gwen." Sirius said with a chuckle.

"He really isn't all that bright." Cris said.

**beaming at Cris, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.**

**"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.**

**"Bye," Cris said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.**

**"Bye, Gwen!" called Stan.**

**Fudge marched Cris along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.**

**"Sit down, Cris," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.**

**Cris sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up her arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Cris.**

**"I am Cornelius Fudge, Cris. The Minister of Magic." **

"Really, I thought he was the Easter Bunny." Keiran said.

"He isn't, then who is?" Scarlett asked.

"Flitwick!" James exclaimed.

"I'm in love with an idiot," Victoire muttered.

**Cris already knew this, of course; she had seen Fudge once before, but as she had been wearing her father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.**

**Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Cris and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.**

**"Well, Cris," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think… but you're safe, and that's what matters." **

"If he didn't want me to know then he shouldn't have said that." Cris said.

"So I'm guessing that this popped your interest?" Remus asked.

"Of course." Cris said.

**Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Cris.**

**"Eat, Cris, you look dead on your feet. Now then… You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done." **

"Really, I think that it would be." Lily said.

"How badly did you get in trouble when you got back there?" Padfoot asked.

"Actually, that is something for the end of the book." Cris said.

"No fair," Padfoot and Prongs said.

**Fudge smiled at Cris over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite niece. Cris, who couldn't believe her ears, opened her mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.**

"Don't believe it," Moody said.

**"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Cris, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays." **

"Don't need to tell her twice," Remus said.

"She always stays, except this year." Ron said.

Yep," Cris said.

"Where are you spending it this year?" Lily asked.

"With Sirius, Remus and the Weasley's." Cris said.

"Good group to spend it with." Prongs said with a smile.

**Cris unstuck her throat.**

**"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," she said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive." **

"He should have clued in right there." Sirius said.

"He isn't a very smart guy though." Kingsley said.

"Doesn't seem like it." Keiran said.

"So who is the minister in your time?" Tonks asked.

"Someone who deserves the job." Teddy said.

"That's all we're saying." James said.

"Not cool." Tonks said.

**"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other — er — very deep down."**

**It didn't occur to Cris to put Fudge right. She was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to her now.**

**"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your holiday. **

"It was rather fun," Cris said.

"It seemed like you were having a good time." Ron said.

"You had a big smile on when we saw you." Hermione said.

**I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and…"**

**"Hang on," blurted Cris. "What about my punishment?" **

"See I told you she would ask." Ron said.

"Are you crazy or something?" Prongs asked.

"Or something," Sirius said.

"Hey," Cris pouted.

**Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"**

**"I broke the law!" Cris said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"**

**"Oh, my dear girl, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, **

"He is really bipolar isn't?" Cris asked.

"It certainly seems that way." Hermione agreed.

"What's bipolar?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"It's a condition that affects your mood. One minute you're happy the next mad." Hermione said.

"And what I mean is this year." Cris said.

"I agree," the twins said.

**waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"**

**But this didn't tally at all with Cris' past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.**

**"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" she told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"**

**Unless Cris' eyes were deceiving her, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.**

**"Circumstances change, Cris… We have to take into account… in the present climate… Surely you don't want to be expelled?"**

**"Of course I don't," said Cris.**

**"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, **

"I doubt that mum wants a crumpet." Al said.

"No I didn't but it did taste good," Cris said.

"Crumpets are good," Padfoot said.

"Do you always think with your stomach?" Lily asked.

"Pretty much," Prongs and Moony said.

**Cris, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."**

**Fudge strode out of the parlor and Cris stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for her at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish her for what she'd done? And now Cris came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic? **

"Wow, if he wants to keep something from her than he's doing a piss poor job of it." Bill said.

"True," Remus said with a laugh.

**Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.**

**"Room eleven's free, Cris," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me." **

"So pretty much you have free reign of Diagon Alley." Prongs said.

"Up, it was pretty fun too." Cris said.

"I can imagine," Padfoot said.

**"Okay," said Cris slowly, "but why?"**

**"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no… best we know where you are… I mean…"**

**"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Cris asked.**

**Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.**

**"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed… and they are angrier than I've ever seen them." Fudge shuddered slightly. "But your safe and that's what matters"**

"Wow, and they wondered how you figure things out." Charlie said.

"I know; it's not very hard when people say things like that in front of me." Cris said.

"You are smarter than we give you credit for." McGonagall said.

**"Why? What's Sirius Black got to do with me?" Cris asked. **

**"Nothing of course." said Fudge slightly too quickly. **

"And now you know he isn't being truthful." Lily J said.

"Yep, pretty much," Cris said.

**Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.**

**"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know… So, I'll say good-bye."**

**He held out his hand and Cris, shaking it, had a sudden idea.**

**"Er — Minister? Can I ask you something?"**

**"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile. **

"What do you want to ask him?" Sirius asked confused.

"You'll see with a smirk." Cris said.

**"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could —?" **

"You're asking the Minister?" Remus asked wide eyed.

"Um yeah," Cris said.

"Wicked," the twins said.

"I don't think anyone has ever done that before." Bill said with a smile.

"Well it is mum, she is known to do some pretty crazy things." Al said.

"Really, I had no idea." Hermione said sarcastically.

**Fudge was looking uncomfortable.**

**"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Cris, but as I'm not your parent or guardian —"**

**"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Cris eagerly. "If you gave me permission…"**

**"No, I'm sorry, Cris, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly.**

**"Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't… yes… well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Cris."**

**And with a last smile and shake of Cris' hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Cris.**

**"If you'll follow me, Miss Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up…" **

"I've always like Tom," Robin said.

"He is kind," Luna and Draco said.

**Cris followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for her.**

**Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe —**

**"Hedwig!" Cris gasped.**

**The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Cris' arm. **

"Wow, she is very smart." Gwen said.

"That she is, the guy in the story was trying to tell me that I wouldn't want her because the previous owners had problems with her." Cris said.

"But you and Hedwig have a special bond." Luna said.

"That we do," Cris said with a fond smile.

**"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Miss Potter, don't hesitate to ask."**

**He gave another bow and left.**

**Cris sat on her bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely grey and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. Cris could hardly believe that she'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that she wasn't expelled, and that she was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks.**

**"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," she yawned.**

"You can say that again." Padfoot said.

"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig." Cris said with a cheeky grin.

"You are so your mother's daughter." Padfoot said with a laugh.

"Why thank you." Cris said.

**And without even removing her glasses, she slumped back onto her pillows and fell asleep.**

"That's the chapter." Remus said.

"My turn!" Lily J said. Remus handed the book over to his honorary niece's daughter. Lily J took it and opened it to the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron

"**Chapter 4: The Leaky Cauldron," **Lily J read.

"Oohh sounds fun." Prongs said.

"It was the best two weeks of my life." Cris said.

"I can understand that." Sirius and Padfoot said.

**It took Cris several days to get used to her strange new freedom. **

"It took a while to get used to." Cris said.

"I bet, but you did enjoy yourself, right?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, even though I was stuck in Diagon Alley I had a good time." Cris said.

"Too bad, some of the shops around the in Muggle London are actually really cool." Hermione said.

"I know; I was there with Gwen this summer." Cris said.

"I bought her new clothes." Gwen said, "She needed them, it was really hot this summer."

"So that's where the cute clothes came from." Hermione said.

"Yep," Cris said.

**Never before had she been able to get up whenever she wanted or eat whatever she fancied. She could even go wherever she pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, Cris felt no desire to break her word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world. **

"Will you ever live there?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't know." Cris said.

"Well, I know that Mum, Dad and Papa lived with Sirius and Robin shortly after we were born." James said.

"I can see myself doing that." Cris said.

**Cris ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where she liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; vulnerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava. **

A number of people chuckled at that.

"You know, the only time I ever seen mum that excited was when she found out she was having a little girl." Al said.

"The exact same day as Aunt Hermione." Victoire said.

"What am I having?" Hermione asked.

"You know, I'm not sure. You haven't really told us yet." James said.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure. I know Aunt Hermione had a few miscarriages and that's probably the reason why." Lily J said.

"I must have been heartbroken." Hermione said.

"Yeah, but that's why there's a gap between Hugo and this baby." Teddy said.

"What's the gape?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well Hugo's nine, so about nine years once the baby is born." Scarlett said.

"Alright, well that's not too bad, can we continue." Hermione said.

**After breakfast Cris would go out into the backyard, take out her wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.**

**Cris spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where her fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy — no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). **

"Those poor children will never see the light of day." Prongs said.

"Hopefully by the end of all of this we will get him cleared." Kingsley said.

"That would be nice." Cris said.

"Yeah! No more being stuck in that old house!" Sirius cheered.

**Cris didn't have to do her homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; now she could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, finishing all her essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Cris free sundaes every half an hour. **

"Lucky," all the present and past kids said.

"He gives us free ice cream." James said.

"Now we know why," Lily J said.

**Once Cris had refilled her money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from her vault at Gringotts, she had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. She had to keep reminding herself that she had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel to ask the Dursley's for money for spell books. She was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant she never had to take another Astronomy lesson. But the thing that tested Cris' resolution most appeared in her favorite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after she'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.**

**Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Cris edged her way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until she glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom she had ever seen in her life. **

"It's nice too." Cris said.

"You have it?" Prongs asked literally bouncing in his seat.

"It was a Christmas present." Cris said with a smile towards her godfather.

"That's an awesome Christmas present." Padfoot said with a grin.

**"Just come out — prototype —" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.**

**"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Cris, who was swinging off his father's arm.**

**"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!" **

"I hope they win then." Prongs said with a big smile on his face.

"We can't reveal that." Cris said.

**A large witch in front of Cris moved, and she was able to read the sign next to the broom:**

**** THE FIREBOLT ****

**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.**

**Price on request… Cris didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. She had never wanted anything as much in her whole life — but she had never lost a Quidditch match on her Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying her Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when she had a very good broom already? Cris didn't ask for the price, but she returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt. **

"You don't have to tempt yourself." Bill said.

"I know, but I couldn't help it." Cris said.

"I would have bought it." Prongs said.

"So, you have my self-control." Lily said.

"Seems like it." Cris said.

**There were, however, things that Cris needed to buy. She went to the Apothecary to replenish her store of potions ingredients, and as her school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, **

"You did grow a couple inches." Ron said.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Cris asked.

"Cause I thought you would be short forever." Ron said.

"Mia, hit him for me." Cris said. Hermione then slapped him.

"When will you learn?" Ginny asked.

"I don't think he will," Bill said.

**she visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, she had to buy her new schoolbooks, which would include those for her two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.**

**Cris got a surprise as she looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spell books the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.**

**Cris pulled her booklist out of her pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures.**

**Now Cris understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. She felt relieved; she had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet. **

"I can picture that since he did it before." Sirius said.

"He did?" Robin asked.

"A dragon and a Cerberus." Remus said.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me any." Robin said.

**As Cris entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward her.**

**"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"**

**"Yes," said Cris, "I need —"**

**"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Cris aside. **

"Well that was rude of him." Victoire said.

"He didn't know if you needed it or not." Lily said.

"It's a good thing I didn't need it." Cris said.

**He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.**

**"Hang on," said Cris quickly, "I've already got one of those."**

**"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —" **

"I would be relieved too," Scarlett said.

"I did feel sorry for him." Cris said.

**A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.**

**"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility — cost a fortune, and we never found them… Well… is there anything else I can help you with?"**

**"Yes," said Cris, looking down her booklist, "I need Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky."**

"Drop that class immediately," Lily said.

"Who are you and what have you done with Lily Evans?" Prongs asked shocked.

"That class is nonsense." Lily said simply.

"I agree," McGonagall said.

"This is crazy," Padfoot said.

"You are about to see something you would never expect." Cris said.

"And what is that?" Sirius asked.

"Hermione not liking a class." Ron said with a smile.

"Impossible," Fred said.

"Inconceivable," George said.

"I would have to see it to believe it," they said together.

**"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Cris into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.**

**"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods — palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails." **

"Worthless subject," Kingsley said.

"I agree," Hermione said.

**But Cris wasn't listening. Her eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: Death Omens — What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.**

**"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Cris was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death." **

"Do I even have to say I told you so, Red?" Hermione asked. Ron blushed and looked away.

**But Cris continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar… **

"That's because my animagus form resembles a grim." Sirius said.

"It's alright, I forgive you." Cris said.

"Good, I've been worrying about that." Sirius said with a smirk.

**The manager pressed Unfogging the Future into Cris' hands.**

**"Anything else?" he said.**

**"Yes," said Cris, tearing her eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting her booklist. "Er — I need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."**

**Cris emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with her new books under her arms and made her way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where she was going and bumping into several people.**

**She tramped up the stairs to her room, went inside, and tipped her books onto her bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Cris could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind her and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. She caught sight of herself in the mirror over the basin.**

**"It can't have been a death omen," she told her reflection defiantly. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent… It was probably just a stray dog…" **

"Or you caring dogfather." Sirius said with a grin.

"Yep, that too." Cris said.

"Why you little." Sirius said with a smile.

**She raised her hand automatically and tried to make her hair lie flat.**

**"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said her mirror in a wheezy voice. **

"Even the mirror knows it," Bill said.

"Don't worry, we think it's sexy," the twins whispered into her ears. Cris blushed brightly and it made everyone in the room wonder what they said to her.

**As the days slipped by, Cris started looking wherever she went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Cris met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, her fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; she also ran into Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. Cris didn't stop to chat;**

"Why not?" Lily asked.

"Because my grandmother was with me." Neville said.

"Ah, that makes more sense." Remus said.

**Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. **

"Your memory is just like your mother's." Robin said with a smile.

"It will get better, don't worry." Remus said.

"Oh good," Neville said.

**Cris woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that she would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. She got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where she'd have lunch, when someone yelled her name and she turned.**

**"Cris! CRIS!"**

**They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor — Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at her. **

"I was so jealous, I can't tan. I burn." Cris said.

"So do we," James, Lily J and Al said.

"Me too," Lily and Prongs said.

"So it's a family thing." Sirius said.

"Apparently," they said.

**"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Cris as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —"**

**"I got all my school stuff last week," Cris explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"**

**"Dad," said Ron simply.**

**Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.**

**"Did you really blow up your aunt, Cris?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.**

**"I didn't mean to blow her up, I just... lost control." Cris admitted.**

**"Brilliant" said Ron grinning.**

"And now we know that it was because that woman was pestering you for a week." Remus said.

"I find it amazing that she kept her temper for a week." Ginny said.

"That is a very good accomplishment." Hermione said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cris asked.

"Nothing," Ron and Hermione said.

**"Honestly Ron, it's not funny!" Hermione snapped, "Cris was lucky not to be expelled."**

**"I think I was lucky not to have been arrested, actually." she said. **

"Wow you're dramatic when you want to be." Lily said.

"I was thinking that I would have been in big trouble." Cris said.

"Well, probably in normal circumstances you would probably be but with what we believed it was safer this way." Dumbledore said.

**"I still think it's brilliant." Ron chortled, Cris looked at Ron. **

**"Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"**

**"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Cris Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"**

**Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."**

**"Excellent!" said Cris happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"**

**"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."**

**"What's all that, Hermione?" Cris asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.**

**"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —" **

"Why are you taking Muggle Studies?" Sirius asked.

"I find it fascinating to study it from the wizard perspective." Hermione said.

"It is fascinating." Lily said.

**"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Cris. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"**

**"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.**

"There's no need repeat yourself." Fred said.

"I think you're mad." George said.

"It was actually a good thing that she did." Sirius said.

"I really hate that you won't tell us." Padfoot said.

**"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Cris, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them.**

**"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."**

**"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently. **

"It's a good idea but I don't think she wants one." Remus said.

"Nope, she gets a pretty good pet." Cris said.

"What kind?" Lily asked. Cris and Hermione smiled but didn't say anything else.

**"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Cris' got Hedwig and you've got Errol —"**

**"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him." **

"Nope," the trio and Sirius, Remus and Robin said along with the future kids.

**Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.**

Ron groaned.

"Hermione before any of it is mentioned, I'm sorry about the whole thing." Ron said.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." Hermione said.

"Why, do they fight a lot?" Robin asked.

"Yes," said the twins, Neville, Ginny, Cris, Percy, and the teachers.

"Great, we get to hear the fighting." Tonks said.

**"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Cris, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."**

**So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.**

**There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Cris, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.**

**A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.**

**The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.**

**"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."**

**"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.**

**Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.**

**Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.**

**"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?" **

"About 33 at the time," Sirius muttered. Moony heard and raised an eyebrow. Could it be…? He thought to himself.

**"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."**

**"What powers does he have?" said the witch, **

"Being a coward and a traitor," Cris muttered.

Moony heard it too and was beginning to think it was who he was thinking about.

**examining Scabbers closely.**

**"Er —" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers' tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.**

**"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.**

**"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.**

**"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"**

**She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."**

**"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.**

**"Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"**

**Ron buckled as something huge and orange **

The trio and Sirius grinned at the mention of Crookshanks.

**came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.**

**"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.**

**"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Cris followed. **

"What a coward," Ron muttered.

"I think he's always been a coward." Hermione muttered.

**It took them nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.**

**"What was that?"**

**"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said Cris.**

**"Where's Hermione?"**

**"Probably getting her owl."**

**They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat. **

"You got the cat?" Padfoot asked shocked.

"He's a very awesome and smart cat." Sirius said.

"Azkaban must have done something to my mind." Padfoot whispered to Moony and Prongs.

"Yeah, you've matured." Moony noted.

**"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.**

**"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.**

**That was a matter of opinion, thought Cris. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. **

Cris was very happy that her two sons and George was between her and Hermione because Hermione was glaring at her.

"Well no one has ever said that her descriptions are flattering." Charlie said.

**Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.**

**"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.**

**"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.**

**"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"**

**"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."**

"I wonder why." Prongs said.

"He's actually very sweet." Ginny said.

**"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.**

**They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.**

**"Cris!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"**

**"Fine, thanks," said Cris as she, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping.**

**Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and Cris saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him.**

**"They still haven't caught him, then?" she asked.**

**"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."**

**"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"**

**"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. **

"I didn't want you three anywhere near him." Mr. Weasley said.

"And yet we were the ones who found the truth." Cris said.

"You three are simply really nosy." Remus said.

"Not really, they just simply dangle in front of me. Besides we weren't really trying to solve anything." Cris said.

"Really?" Sirius asked.

"Pretty much," Hermione said.

**"Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."**

**At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasley's youngest child and only girl, Ginny.**

**Ginny, who had always seen Cris as a sort of hero, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw her, perhaps because she had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at her. **

"I have no idea why, I've never seen Ginny this shy before." Bill said.

"I know; it's kind of crazy." Charlie said.

**Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Cris had never met **

His siblings snickered at him.

**and said, "Cristal. How nice to see you."**

**"Hello, Percy," said Cris, trying not to laugh.**

**"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.**

**"Very well, thanks and just call me Cri —"**

**"Cristal!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old girl —" **

"Oh no," Lily said with a smile.

"And cue, the twins." Remus said.

**"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Cris' hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."**

**Percy scowled.**

**"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.**

**"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you —"**

**"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Cris, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride. **

"Well, that's good I think." Lily said.

"Depends on who you talk to." Ginny said.

**"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.**

**"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."**

**"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."**

**Ginny giggled.**

**"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.**

**"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. **

"Like I want to be like him." Ginny said.

"I don't think we want you to be like him either." Ron said.

"I like you just the way you are." Neville said. Ginny turned bright red but didn't say anything else.

**"I'm going up to change for dinner…"**

**He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.**

**"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Cris. "But Mum spotted us." **

"Too bad," Sirius said.

**"How was it?" she asked smiling. **

**"Brilliant," said Ron, "Full of old mummy's and stuff." **

**"You know the Egyptians used to worship cats" said Hermione glaring at Ron. **

"Oohh, someone's mad." Padfoot said.

"There fights are pretty bad this year." Cris said.

"And you were stuck in the middle weren't you?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Cris said.

**"Yeah, along with the Dung beetle." Ron said. **

**Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasley's, Cris, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses. **

"That's a lot of food." Lily said.

"I know; I was just a little overstuffed after it." Cris said.

"That's not very good." Remus said.

"I was fine, just sleepy afterward." Cris said.

**"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding. **

"That's a good question." Al said.

"Probably taxi or the ministry provided cars." Keiran said.

**"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.**

**Everyone looked up at him.**

**"Why?" said Percy curiously.**

**"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them—"**

**"— for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.**

**Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.**

**"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.**

**"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor…"**

**His voice was casual, but Cris couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure. **

"You are way too observant." Mr. Wesley said with a smile.

"It's very good thing too." Cris said.

**"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground… You are all packed, aren't you?"**

**"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. **

"You don't have the right to that voice." James said.

"And why not?" Percy asked.

"Because you haven't had it as bad as mum." James said.

"And you act like you are more ready to believe something the minister tells you over your own parents." Al said.

"Well said Al," Prongs said smiling at his grandson.

**"He's dumped them on my bed."**

**"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.**

**After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Cris.**

**She had just closed and locked her own trunk when she heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.**

**The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.**

**"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —"**

**"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.**

**"What's up?" said Cris.**

**"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on Cris.**

**"So's Scabbers' Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"**

**"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy. **

"Oh my god, that's why you don't put those two together." Hermione said.

"Very bad combination." Ginny said.

"Yeah, we should have thought about that one more." Mr. Weasley said.

**"I'll get Scabbers' stuff, I'm packed," Cris said to Ron, and she went downstairs.**

**Cris was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when she heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. **

"Who's?" Prongs asked.

"I'm thinking Molly and Arthur." Moony said.

"Me too," Lily said.

**A second later, she recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's. She hesitated, not wanting them to know she'd heard them arguing, when the sound of her own name made her stop, then move closer to the parlor door. **

"So this is how you found out that Sirius was after you." McGonagall said.

"Just so you know I was only trying to protect her." Sirius said.

"And we believe you." Tonks said.

"Who were you protecting her from?" Prongs asked.

"A Death Eater." Sirius said simply. That got the past time travelers worried and those who didn't know in the room even more worried.

**"… makes no sense not to tell her," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Cris' got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Cris like a child. She's thirteen years old and —"**

**"Arthur, the truth would terrify her!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Cris back to school with that hanging over her? For heaven's sake, she's happy not knowing!" **

"Um no, it really isn't. Besides I would find out eventually." Cris said.

"Really?" Mrs. Weasley asked shocked.

"Yeah, besides it kind gets me mad when people won't tell me things because they are trying to protect me." Cris said.

"Don't we know it." Ron, Hermione, the twins and Ginny said.

"Was what that was about this summer?" Sirius asked amused.

"Um yeah," Cris said sheepishly.

**"I don't want to make her miserable, I want to put her on her guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Cris and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves — they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Cris mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to her that night she ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked her up, I'm prepared to bet she would have been dead before the Ministry found her." **

"I take that back." Mr. Weasley said.

"Good because I would have protected her till my last breath." Sirius said. Keiran and Scarlett looked at each other; they nearly did lose their dad.

**"But she's not dead, she's fine, so what's the point —"**

**"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, **

"I have to agree with that." Robin, Remus, Prongs, Moony and Tonks said.

"Oi! What is this pick on Sirius day?" Sirius asked.

"Yep," Cris said with a smile.

**and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after —" **

"No I'm not!" Sirius said.

"We know; there is going to be a lot of that though." Mr. Weasley said.

"I know; this isn't going to be easy for me." Sirius said.

"I know, it'll be alright Siri," Robin said kissing him lightly.

**"But Cris will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."**

**"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."**

**"But no one's really sure that Black's after Cris —"**

**There was a thud on wood, and Cris was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table.**

**"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'At Hogwarts… At Hogwarts.' **

"I didn't realize that I talk in my sleep." Sirius and Padfoot said.

"You do!" Prongs, Moony and Robin said.

"Sorry babe," Sirius said kissing Robin's temple.

"Wow, I've never seen you like that." Lily said to Padfoot.

"I know," Padfoot said.

"Well, it did sound pretty bad when it was put that way." Remus said.

"I know," Sirius said.

**Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Cris dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Cris will bring You-Know-Who back to power. **

"I wouldn't want him back in power." Padfoot said.

**Black lost everything the night Cris stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that…"**

"Well I did lose everything that night." Sirius said.

**There was a silence. Cris leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.**

**"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Cris at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"**

**"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."**

**"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"**

**"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that… but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."**

**"If they save Cris —"**

"They tried to kill me," Cris muttered.

"We know," George said.

"And we wish we could take it away." Fred said.

**"– then I will never say another word against them," said Mr. Weasley wearily. **

"You can take about them all you want then Arthur." Remus said.

**"It's late, Molly, we'd better go up…"**

**Cris heard chairs move. As quietly as she could, she hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told her that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.**

**The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Cris waited until she heard Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.**

**Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.**

**"We've got it," Fred whispered to Cris. "We've been improving it."**

**The badge now read Bighead Boy.**

**Cris forced a laugh,**

"We knew," George started.

"That you were faking it." Fred said.

"Besides it didn't help turned to that orange color." George said.

**her hair turning burnt orange in her anxiety, went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut herself in her room and lay down on her bed.**

**So Sirius Black was after her.**

**This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with her because he was so relieved to find her alive. He'd made Cris promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on her. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasley's could look after Cris until she was on the train.**

**Cris lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why she didn't feel more scared. **

"Because you knew that he was innocent." Hermione said.

"You need to learn to trust your guts a bit more about all this." Kingsley said.

"In the end I did," Cris said.

**Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley obviously thought Cris would be panic-stricken if she knew the truth. But Cris happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him? **

"Nah, I would only be frightened if I ever saw Dumbledore mad." Sirius said.

"That seems fair. I don't ever want to see him angry again." Cris said.

"You have?" Prongs asked.

"Well no, but nearly the whole school." Cris said.

**And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote.**

**No, all in all, the thing that bothered Cris most was the fact that her chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. **

"Really after all of this all you really wanted to do was go to the village?" Bill asked.

"Well yeah, I wanted to see an all wizard village, I've never seen one before." Cris said.

"It is really cool," Lily and Hermione said.

**Nobody would want Cris to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught; in fact, Cris suspected her every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed.**

**She scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think she couldn't look after herself? She'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; she wasn't completely useless… **

"No you're not," Remus agreed.

"You have more experience than some inexperienced Aurors." Tonks said.

"I really don't like the sound of that." Lily and Prongs said.

**Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed her mind. What to do when you know the worst is coming…**

**"I'm not going to be murdered," Cris said out loud.**

**"That's the spirit, dear," said her mirror sleepily. **

"You are determined aren't you." Sirius said.

"Well yeah, I'm kind of used to it by now." Cris said.

"We know, and we wished that wouldn't have had to happen to you." Remus said.

"Well that's the chapter." Lily J said. She handed the book to Fred and he started the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 5: The Dementor

"**Chapter 5: The Dementor," **Fred read.

"Great, just what we need to hear." Lily said.

"What are you doing around Dementors now?" Prongs asked.

"It wasn't on purpose." Cris said.

"That I can actually vouch for." Remus said.

"What were you doing there?" Padfoot asked.

"Later," Remus said.

**Tom woke Cris the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. **

"That was kind of him." Lily said.

"I don't think it should have been him though." Prongs said. Cris rolled her eyes but she smiled, she liked having the protective father around.

"I agree," said most of the male occupants. Cris shook her head fondly and smiled, they were seriously forgetting about that she slept in the boy's dorm.

**Cris got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.**

**"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy…"**

**"I've got something to tell you," Cris began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.**

**They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow then Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. She wondered if Hermione would tell her later. **

"And she did." Cris said. Hermione, Ginny, Cris and Mrs. Weasley giggled again.

"Sometimes I forget that you can be girly." Ron said.

"You didn't forget it last year." Cris said with a smirk. Ron blushed brightly but didn't say anything else.

"What happened last year?" Padfoot asked.

"Nothing!" Ron said loudly. Cris giggled as well as the twins that night was pretty fun and pretty awkward as well.

**"What were you saying?" Ron asked Cris as they sat down.**

**"Later," Cris muttered as Percy stormed in.**

**Cris had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.**

**"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train." **

"I bet Ron loved that." Bill said.

"It was pretty tense that year." Cris said.

"I heard." Remus said with a smile.

**"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?" **

"You know at the time I was worried about him, now I can careless. Crookshanks was right to go after him." Ron said.

"What did Scabbers do to you?" Percy snapped.

"You'll find out at the end I expect." Hermione said glaring at Percy.

**He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket. **

"I should have let him eat him." Ron said.

"Then we wouldn't have known the truth." Hermione said.

"That's true." Cris said.

"I meant in the end." Ron said.

"Yeah, but we still had to prove it." Remus said.

"Alright, fine." Ron said blushing slightly.

"I know how you feel." Sirius said.

**Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.**

**"They're here," he said. "Cris, come on." **

"That was more than obvious." Cris said.

"Just a bit Arthur." Moody said.

"I should have thought about that a bit more than." Mr. Weasley said.

**Mr. Weasley marched Cris across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.**

**"In you get, Cris," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street. **

"Note to self, if this happens again actually tell Cris what's going on." Prongs said.

"No kidding, I didn't actually think she would be like you two." Mr. Weasley said.

"Well she is our daughter." Lily said.

**Cris got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy.**

**The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Cris' trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. Though Cris noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. **

"Is it magic again?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah," Cris said with a smile. Gwen smiled eagerly to hear what the car did.

**They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.**

**Mr. Weasley kept close to Cris' elbow all the way into the station. **

"No wonder she was suspicious dad." Bill said.

"I'm not very good at discreet." Mr. Weasley said.

"We've noticed." Everyone said.

**"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Cris." **

"Really Arthur, this isn't helping matters any." Robin said.

"I know, I wasn't really thinking that she would be able to put all of this together." Mr. Weasley said.

"Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said.

**Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Cris' trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Cris, he leaned casually against the barrier. Cris imitated him. **

"I want to know is how come we didn't notice all of this." Ginny said.

"I thought it was because Cris and I didn't make the train the year before." Ron said.

"That's a good theory," Fred said.

"But not exactly right." George said.

**In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.**

**Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Cris. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run. **

"We did, I wanted to do it like you did but Percy thought differently." Ginny said.

"Good grief Perce, take the fun out of everything." Charlie said. Percy didn't say anything just sat there and burned red.

**"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. **

His brothers and sister chuckled and Percy blushed brightly.

**Ginny caught Cris' eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. **

"Wow, I don't think I've ever met a head boy who was ever like that." Remus said.

"Really not even me?" Prongs asked.

"No, you just matured, you took it seriously but that was it." Remus said.

"See Perce, if someone who was a prankster can mature you don't have to be a prat about it." Bill said.

"Yeah, Bill wasn't you just need to loosen up." Charlie said. Percy still didn't say anything, he still just sat there looking down into his lap listening.

**Once the remaining Weasley's and Hermione had joined them, Cris and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.**

**Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally Cris. She was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave her an extra hug. **

Cris blushed and hid in George's side but they didn't say anything about it.

**"Do take care, won't you Cris?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron… no, they're not corned beef… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear…"**

**"Cris," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment." **

"So you told her anyway." Robin said.

"I couldn't not say anything." Mr. Weasley said.

"It's alright; I couldn't keep this quiet either if someone I cared about had a mad man after them." Tonks said.

**He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Cris followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.**

**"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" said Mr. Weasley in a tense voice.**

**"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Cris, "I already know."**

**"You know? How could you know?"**

**"I — er — I heard you and Mrs. Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Cris added quickly. "Sorry —"**

**"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley looking anxious. **

"Don't hide anything. Cris isn't your typical girl." Sirius said.

"No kidding," the twins said smiling at the girl between them. Cris smiled and Fred continued.

**"No — honestly it's okay. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on." **

"Are you always the voice of reason?" Padfoot asked.

"Pretty much." Cris said.

**"Cris, you must be scared — "**

**"I'm not," said Cris sincerely. "Really," she added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?" **

"Depends on who's talking." Bill said with a smile.

"I'm definitely not worse than him." Sirius said.

"No, you're not a psycho killer." Cris said.

"You have some good logic," McGonagall said.

**Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.**

**"Cris, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but –"**

**"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"**

**"She's coming Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Cris and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"**

**" — that I'll be a good girl and stay in the castle?" said Cris gloomily. **

"Well that too." Remus said. Cris smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head.

"You didn't did you?" Prongs asked with a smile.

"I'm not saying anything." Cris said.

"That means she did," James and Lily J said.

"Of course she did," Lily said shaking her head.

**"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than Cris had ever seen him. "Cris, swear to me you won't go looking for Black."**

**Cris stared, "What!"**

"That just got me more curious." Cris said.

"Figured that it would." Mr. Weasley said.

**There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.**

**"Promise me, Cris," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens —"**

**"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Cris blankly.**

"That's a good point." Robin said.

"I don't go looking, it just finds me." Cris said.

"Yep, that's true." Hermione said.

**"Swear to me that whatever you might hear —"**

**"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.**

**Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Cris ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let her on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.**

**"I need to talk to you in private," Cris muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed. **

"You tell them everything don't you?" Moony asked.

"Pretty much." Cris said.

"I know that she told them first when she was pregnant." Keiran said.

"What about us?" Fred and George asked.

"Well you two right after, you've learned to accept it that she tells them everything first." Teddy said.

"That's good." They said.

**"Go away, Ginny," said Ron. **

"Well that was rude." Lily J said to her uncle.

"This is Uncle Ron we're talking about." Al said.

"That's true," James and Victoire said.

"Hey!" Ron cried.

"It's true." Everyone said.

**"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.**

**This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. **

"Who is it?" Lily asked.

"Someone awesome." Fred said with a smile.

"Who is it?" Prongs asked.

"If you'll be patient you'll find out." Hermione said.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.**

**The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey. He seemed oddly familiar to Cris, **

"Moony?" Prongs and Padfoot asked. Nobody answered and Moony's eyes widened.

**she couldn't understand why, but he made her think of the time when she and Dudley were five and she wanted a wolf stuffed toy. **

"Really?" Remus asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yep," Cris said with a smile.

"You have really good memory then." Sirius said.

"It's been said." Cris said.

**She stared at him. **

**"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window. **

**"Professor R. J. Lupin." whispered Hermione at once.**

"No way!" Prongs said.

"I'm teaching?" Moony asked.

"Yes, and you were the best we've had." Cris said.

"What's happened to you?" Padfoot asked.

"Loneliness mostly." Remus said.

**"How'd you know that?"**

**"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.**

"I would have left you some money." Prongs said.

"They never gave me anything because of my being a werewolf." Remus said.

"That's just some complete and utter bull." Padfoot said.

"Agreed," everyone said.

"Why weren't you with Robin?" Lily asked.

"I was traveling at the time. I got a letter and came back." Robin said.

"That explains it at least." Prongs said.

**"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.**

**"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed. **

"Wouldn't surprise me if it is." Bill said.

"It's not anymore," James said.

"Our Professor is really good too." Scarlett said.

"Who is it?" Sirius asked.

"Robin/Mum." The future kids said.

"Well she would be a good teacher." Remus said smiling at his twin.

"Why thank you dear brother." Robin said.

**"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?**

**Anyway…" he turned to Cris, "what were you going to tell us?"**

**"What? Oh yeah." She said tearing her eyes away from the man. **

**Cris explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given her. When she'd finished, Hermione had her hands over her mouth. Whereas Ron looked thunderstruck then said "Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you?" **

"Yes I have!" Sirius yelled. He leapt toward Cris grabbed her and held her against her will.

"Let her go Padfoot." Remus said.

"Never!" Sirius said.

"Let go of our mum!" Lily J, James and Al said playing along.

"Oh no, the future will destroy me!" Sirius wailed.

"Yeah, I'm saved!" Cris said with a smile. She grabbed her kids and hugged them while everyone else was laughing their asses off.

**Hermione finally lowered her hands to say, "Oh, Cris… you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Cris…" **

"Mione, you should've known by now that I don't go looking for trouble, it finds me." Cris said.

"We know," Ron and Hermione said.

**"I don't go looking for trouble," said Cris, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."**

"You don't have to repeat yourself Bambi." George said. Cris rolled her eyes but smiled.

**"How thick would Cris have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill her?" said Ron shakily. **

"True," Tonks said.

"You'd actually be surprised though." Ron said.

"Cris thought about going after Sirius?" Remus asked.

"For a while I think." Hermione said.

**They were taking the news worse than Cris had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than she was. **

"Well I grew up hearing about how crazy he was." Ron said.

"I was worried that you would be doing something stupid." Hermione said.

"You don't have to worry about me you know." Cris said.

"Of course we do, we love you." Ron and Hermione said.

**"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."**

**"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too…"**

**"Sure..." said Ron slowly, "except... no one's broken out of Azkaban before... and he's a murderous raving lunatic." **

"Well raving lunatic is right." Remus said.

"Oi! You're supposed to be on my side." Sirius said.

"I am, I'm just stating that everyone thought that you were crazy." Remus said.

"Not cool Moony, not cool." Sirius said.

**"Thanks Ron." Cris said sarcastically.**

"Don't mention it." Ron said.

"You know I was worrying about that." Cris said.

"Good, glad that we could clear that up." Ron said.

**"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.**

**A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.**

**"It's coming from your trunk, Cris," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Cris' robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.**

**"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.**

**"Yeah… mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Cris."**

**"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.**

"Were you?" Robin asked.

"Well depends. I was using Errol when I wasn't supposed to." Ron said.

"That wouldn't set it off." Sirius said.

"But why is it going off now?" Lily asked.

"Maybe because Remus was listening in to their conversation." Bill said.

"Were you Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe," Remus said.

"He was," Sirius, Robin, Prongs and Padfoot said.

**"No! Well… I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys… but how else was I supposed to get Cris' present to her?"**

**"Actually, Cris maybe you should carry that with you all the time. I mean it can't hurt given –"**

**"Sirius Black is trying to kill me," Cris finished for him, sighing. "Yeah your right it couldn't hurt. Give us a clue to if he is around, or maybe he's smell'll do that, I mean he's lived in those robes for –" **

Everyone even Sirius laughed.

"I got to admit, those robes were horrible." Sirius said through his laughter.

"Yeah, they didn't smell too good either." Cris said laughing. When everyone calmed down Fred continued reading.

**"Cristal Potter this is not funny!" Hermione hissed. **

"Actually, it was pretty funny." Padfoot said.

"What do you expect; she's the daughter of Prongs and Evans. She's bound to be sarcastic." Robin said.

**"Stick it back in the trunk," Cris advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, and distracting Hermione, "or it'll wake him up."**

**She nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it. Cris looked at Lupin again, trying to think where she'd seen him before? Had he been one of the people who came up to her? Before Cris knew who she was? She didn't think so, she remembered them well at the time it had been very odd for people to recognize her... **

"How much were stressing about it?" Remus asked.

"Quite a bit that I was thankful that I wasn't thinking what the other girls were thinking." Cris said with a smirk on her face.

"Ooohhh, I know that look." Sirius, Padfoot and Prongs said.

"Do we want to know?" Lily asked.

"Not really but you will anyway." Cris said.

**"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, Cris could see him sitting back down out of the corner of her eye.**

**"They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."**

**"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain —"**

**"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!" **

"Honeydukes is a neat place." Prongs said.

"Yeah it is." Everyone said.

"Nah, WWW is better." James said.

"WWW?" Prongs asked his grandson like he was crazy.

"Dad and Papa's joke shop, it's amazing." Lily J said.

"What joke shop?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"It opens in Diagon Alley sometime in the next few months." Al said.

"Is it successful?" George asked.

"Very, along with mum's wealth and the shop we're well off." James said.

"And of course mum being mum she goes and tries to help out the rest of the family." Lily J said.

"Of course she would," Hermione said with a smile.

**"What's that?" said Hermione.**

**"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything… Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next–"**

**"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain —" **

"Well not exactly, only about once a month in the 70's." Cris said.

"And how do you know that?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Later," the trio said.

**"– and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying. **

"Nothing new there." Ginny said with a smile.

**Hermione looked around at Cris.**

**"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade? Cris?"**

**"Huh, what?" she said looking away from Professor Lupin again.**

"It was driving me crazy." Cris said.

"So were the dreams right?" Remus asked.

"Exactly, I thought I was going crazy." Cris said.

"You are crazy." The twins said.

"But that's why you're you." George said.

**"I said it'll be nice to explore Hogsmeade wont it?"**

**"'Spect it will," said Cris heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."**

**"What d'you mean?" said Ron.**

**"I can't go. The Dursley's didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."**

**Ron looked horrified.**

**"You're not allowed to come? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission —"**

**Cris gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict.**

**"– or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —"**

Cris smirked at that part and Fred and George had smiles on their faces

**"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Cris should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose —"**

**"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission," said Cris bitterly.**

**"But if we're with her," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. "Black wouldn't dare —"**

**"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Cris just because we're there?" **

"Actually if I was after her I wouldn't care about you two but I would try and get her alone." Sirius said.

"Well that's comforting." Lily said.

"Thankfully Cris is too smart not to fall for something like I have puppies for sale come with and you can get one." Remus said.

"That's true too." Hermione said.

**She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.**

**"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.**

**"Get out of it!"**

**"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.**

**Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on. **

"He's awake." Sirius, Padfoot, Prongs, and Robin said. Cris mock glared at Remus but smiled back.

"It's alright, maybe." Cris said.

**The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. **

"Good kitty," Cris said.

"Smart kitty," Hermione said.

"He is a smart cat." Sirius said.

"That he is." Remus said.

**At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.**

**"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."**

**Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.**

**"Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?"**

**He didn't move.**

**"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."**

**"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?" **

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley screeched.

"Sorry mum," Ron said.

"I didn't look that bad did I?" Remus asked.

"No, Ron was just over exaggerating." Cris said.

**"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Cris passed her.**

**He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. **

"What do they want?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing, just being they're normal selves." Cris said. Draco blushed but didn't say anything else.

**Draco Malfoy and Cris had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Cris played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.**

**"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel."**

"Oh how original." Prongs sneered.

"Did it take you forever to come up with those insults?" Padfoot asked. Draco burned brighter but refused to say anything else.

**Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.**

**"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?" **

Most of the room turned to glare at the blonde Slytherin. Cris elbowed Fred and he began reading again.

**Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort.**

**"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.**

**"New teacher," said Cris, who got to her feet, too, in case she needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"**

**Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.**

**"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.**

**Cris and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.**

**"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"**

**Ron made a violent gesture in midair.**

**"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful…"**

**But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.**

**The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept. **

"No he wasn't, Moony is a very light sleeper." Padfoot said.

"So you were spying on us." Hermione said.

"For a second I thought that Cris was James with longer hair." Remus said.

"So you heard everything we said?" Cris asked.

"Yep, it was funny trying to explain Barbie to Ron was pretty funny." Remus said.

"Why were you explaining Barbie to Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Because Mia was explaining what Lavender and Pavarti do to her when they get

"Oh, not pretty." Ginny said.

**"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.**

**The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down. **

"That's not right," Lily said.

"It shouldn't be slowing down just yet." Moony said.

"So what's going on?" Padfoot asked.

**"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"**

**"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.**

**"So why're we stopping?"**

**The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.**

**Cris, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. **

"No, they should have kept the door locked." Bill said.

"I wish we did." Hermione said.

**The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.**

**"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Cris.**

**"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"**

**Cris felt her way back to her seat.**

**"D'you think we've broken down?" **

"No, it can't break down." Robin said.

"It's not dementors is it?" Lily asked suddenly remembering the chapter title.

"No it can't be." Prongs said.

**"Dunno…"**

**There was a squeaking sound, and Cris saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.**

**"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…" **

"It is dementors." Padfoot said going pale.

"We don't know that yet." Robin said.

**The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Cris' legs.**

"Someone you know?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," the trio said.

**"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry —"**

**"Hullo, Neville," said Cris, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.**

"Ah his clumsiness gave him away right?" Fred asked.

"Yep," Cris said.

**"Cris? Is that you? What's happening?"**

**"No idea! Sit down —"**

**There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks. **

"I feel your pain." George said rubbing his hand.

"Poor baby," Cris said.

"I know; I'm scared for life." George said in a mock pout. Cris rolled her eyes and Fred continued reading with a smile on his face.

**"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Cris felt Hermione pass her, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.**

**"Who's that?"**

**"Who's that?"**

**"Ginny?"**

**"Hermione?"**

**"What are you doing?"**

**"I was looking for Ron —"**

**"Come in and sit down —"**

**"Not here!" said Cris hurriedly. "I'm here!"**

**"Ouch!" said Neville.**

**"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.**

**Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last.**

**Cris could hear movements in his corner.**

**None of them spoke.**

**There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. **

"Wicked," Prongs, Padfoot and Moony said.

"Can you do that?" Padfoot asked turning to Moony.

"Not yet," Moony said.

**They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.**

**"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.**

**But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.**

**Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Cris' eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…**

**But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Cris' gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.**

**And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.**

**An intense cold swept over them all. Cris felt her own breath catch in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart…**

"You know there are times when I love your descriptions and there are times that I don't, and this is one of those times." Sirius said.

"Sorry Siri," Cris said.

"It's going to be okay," Robin said taking Sirius' hand. Sirius squeezed and let Fred continue reading.

**Cris' eyes rolled up into her head. She couldn't see. She was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in her ears as though of water. She was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder…**

**And then, from far away, she heard screaming, **

"What?" Prongs asked.

"It's her worst memory," Moony said.

"But who is screaming?" Padfoot asked.

"It'll explain later." Cris said quietly. George wrapped and arm around her and brought her closer. Cris leaned into his embrace and brought her legs up.

**terrible, terrified, pleading screams. She wanted to help whoever it was, she tried to move her arms, but couldn't… a thick white fog was swirling around her, inside her —**

**"Cris! Cris! Are you all right?"**

**Someone was slapping her face. **

"I wasn't slapping just tapping." Ron said.

"It felt like it." Cris said.

**"W-what?"**

**Cris opened her eyes; there were lanterns above her, and the floor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. She seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to her, and above them she could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. **

"I'm sorry Uncle Remmy that must have been horrible for you." Cris said.

"I'm sure it was, the first time he sees you in twelve years and you are having a terrible reaction." Ron said.

"And the last time he saw her was when she was pulling James' glasses off and giggling like crazy every time she did it." Sirius said with a smile.

"Babies do that all the time though." Hermione said.

"I know, but she would then put them on her face." Robin said. Everyone was now laughing and Cris was turning even brighter red.

**Cris felt very sick; when she put up her hand to push her glasses back on, she felt cold sweat on her face.**

**Ron and Hermione heaved her back onto her seat.**

**"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.**

**"Yeah," said Cris, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"**

**"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.**

**Cris looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at her, both very pale. **

"I saw the chamber," Ginny whimpered.

"I could hear mum and dad being tortured." Neville muttered.

"You'll find out who the screaming is from." Cris said.

**"But I heard a woman screaming —"**

**A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.**

"Ah, Remus is always prepared." Sirius said.

"I am the Defense teacher, when am I not prepared." Remus said.

"Point taken." Sirius said.

**"Here," he said to Cris, handing her a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."**

**Cris took the chocolate but didn't eat it.**

**"What was that thing?" she asked Lupin.**

**"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."**

**Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.**

**"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…" **

"Good, don't hover over them," Prongs said.

"I was a teenager once; I know that they don't like adults towering over them." Remus said.

"Yeah dad," Victoire said staring at Bill.

"What do you mean?" Bill asked.

"Every time Keiran is over you just stand over us." Victoire said.

"And why would I do that?" Bill asked.

"Maybe because they're engaged." James said.

"JAMES!" Keiran and Victoire yelled.

"Damn, you sure can pick them, son." Sirius said. Keiran and Victoire blushed brightly and everyone else had smiles on their faces.

"Uncle Fred, continue please." Victoire begged.

"And why would I do that?" Fred asked.

"Fred, just continue." Cris said.

"Fine," Fred said. So he picked up where he left off.

**He strolled past Bella and disappeared into the corridor.**

**"Are you sure you're okay, Cris?" said Hermione, watching Cris anxiously.**

**"I don't get it… what happened?" said Cris, pulling the hair from her face, wiping more sweat off her face as she did so.**

**"Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you —"**

**"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —" **

"It was really scary to watch." Ginny said.

"It broke my heart." Remus muttered. Robin grabbed his hand and held it tightly with hers.

**"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"**

**"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"**

**"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"**

**Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Cris felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.**

**"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Cris awkwardly.**

**"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Bella again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though…"**

**Cris didn't understand. She felt weak and shivery, as though she were recovering from a bad bout of flu; she also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had she gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? **

"Remus tells me later." Cris said.

"Good, cause I would feel like that as well." Prongs said.

"Me too," Lily said.

**At that moment Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, **

"None of you ate the chocolate yet have you?" Bill asked.

"No," the trio, Ginny and Neville said.

"Good, but you should have eaten it." McGonagall said.

"We didn't know him, for all we know it could have been poisoned." Hermione said.

"True," McGonagall said.

**"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"**

**Cris took a bite and to her great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of her fingers and toes.**

**"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Cris?"**

**Cris didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew her name, his voice was oddly familiar too. **

"I used to read to you a lot." Remus said.

"It was the only way to get you asleep sometimes." Sirius said.

"Other times would be tickling you or singing." Robin said.

"It's amazing that you remember that much." Charlie said.

"Memory is funny that way." Mr. Weasley said.

"I remember when Al was born and James and I were 2." Lily J said.

**"Fine," she muttered, embarrassed.**

**They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.**

**"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Cris, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.**

**"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Cris, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Cris could only assume, by an invisible horse, **

"Not a horse," Cris said, "and they don't always stay invisible."

"Who did you see die?" Lily asked.

"Fourth year," Cris said.

"That's so young," Lily said quietly.

**because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.**

**The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Cris felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at her sideways, as though frightened she might collapse again. **

"You two need to learn to be subtle." Cris said.

"Well sorry for being worried." Hermione said.

"Well you're allowed to be, I just found it funny that you were being as subtle as Mr. Weasley." Cris said. They pouted and crossed they're arms.

**As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Cris saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes. **

**They had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.**

**As Cris stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in her ear.**

**"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" **

"I'm sorry about that; I didn't realize that what you heard terrified you." Draco said.

"It's alright, I guess." Cris said. "But you'll find out what I actually hear."

"I really don't want to know." Lily said.

"None of us do." Remus said.

**Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Cris' way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. Cris still felt dizzy, but there was no way she was going to faint in front of Malfoy!**

**"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.**

**"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"**

**"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.**

**Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er —Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.**

**Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.**

**The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Cris followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" **

"What did you do?" Padfoot asked with a smile.

"Absolutely nothing," Cris and Hermione said.

**Cris and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Cris fought her way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making her feel she must have done something wrong. **

"You weren't in trouble, we just wanted to make sure that you were okay." McGonagall said.

"I know, but that is what I felt at the time." Cris said.

**"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."**

**Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Cris and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.**

**Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Cris and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter." **

"You know, I didn't know how to respond to that." Cris said.

"It's alright." Remus said with a smile.

**Before Cris could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.**

**Cris felt herself going red in the face. It was bad enough that she'd passed out, or whatever she had done, without everyone making all this fuss.**

**"I'm fine," she said, "I don't need anything —"**

**"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at her. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"**

**"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.**

**They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.**

**"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Cris' hair and feeling her forehead. "She won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —" **

"Cris won't like that." Tonks said with a chuckled.

"No, it was pretty funny." Hermione said.

"That it was," McGonagall said with a small smile.

**"I'm not delicate!" said Cris crossly.**

**"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking her pulse.**

**"What does she need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should she perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"**

**"I'm fine!" said Cris, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if she had to go to the hospital wing was torture. **

"Yeah, that wouldn't have been good." George said.

"That isn't a reason not to go to the hospital wing." McGonagall said shaking her head.

"But I spend too much time there as it is." Cris said.

"That you do," the twins said.

**"Well, she should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Cris' eyes.**

**"I've already had some," said Cris. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."**

**"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"**

**"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.**

**"Yes," said Cris.**

**"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."**

**Cris went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. She had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.**

**It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.**

**"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!" **

"Have you seen one besides your own?" Kingsley asked.

"Last year and this year." Cris said.

"Good," Lily said.

**New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Cris and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Cris. Had the story of her collapsing in front of the Dementor travelled that fast?**

**She and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.**

**"What was all that about?" he muttered to Cris.**

**Cris started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and she broke off. **

"At least you don't talk through it like some people," Moony said glaring at Prongs and Padfoot.

"Who us?" Prongs and Padfoot asked.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." Moony said. Prongs and Padfoot smiled innocently which didn't work for them.

**Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Cris respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Cris watched him beaming around at the students, she felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment. **

"Well that's a plus." Robin said with a smile.

**"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, **

"Wow, is it about me?" Sirius asked.

"Why yes it was, but it was more about the dementors." Dumbledore said.

"I can understand that, though I wish that they weren't there." Sirius said.

"We all did," the teachers and the trio said.

**I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"**

**Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."**

**He paused, and Cris remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.**

**"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Cris and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.**

**Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Cris, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. **

Percy blushed again.

"Though keep in mind that you won't be able to scare off a Dementor just being a head boy." Remus said. Percy blushed brightly once again.

**Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.**

**"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.**

**"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."**

**There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause.**

"That is until our first lesson." George said.

"I take it that it was amazing?" Prongs asked.

"Incredible," Fred said.

"Sensational," George said.

"Memorable," Ron said.

"Alright boys, that's enough." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Yes mum," they said.

**Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Cris among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.**

**"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Cris' ear.**

**Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Cris, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Cris knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Cris. **

"Yeah, we weren't really friendly in our school days." Remus said.

"Not friendly isn't the word I would use." Sirius said.

"We know Sirius," Robin and Remus said.

**"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Cris leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.**

**"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?" **

"That's certainly true." Sirius said.

"Hagrid's an awesome teacher." Cris said.

"I wish I had him as a teacher." Charlie said.

"Me too," Bill said.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.**

**"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"**

**The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Cris, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could reach and began to eat.**

**It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Cris, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Cris, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year. **

"No, that was all you." Hermione said.

"You two helped as well." Cris said.

"No we didn't," Ron said.

"You cleared his name not us," Hermione said.

**At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.**

**"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.**

**"All down ter you three," **

"See all of us," Cris said.

"Whatever you say Bolt," Hermione and Ron said together.

**said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… It's what I always wanted…"**

**Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress was singing… again. **

"She still does that?" Prongs asked.

"Yes," said the current and future Gryffindors. Bill noticed that Victoire didn't say anything.

"You aren't in Gryffindor?" Bill asked.

"Nope, I'm in Ravenclaw." Victoire said.

"There hasn't been a Weasley in any other house in years." Mr. Weasley said.

"Rose and Percy are in Ravenclaw as well." James said.

"Who?" everyone asked.

"Rose is Ron and Hermione's daughter and Percy is Charlie's son." Teddy said.

"You named your son after me?" Percy asked wide eyed.

"Apparently," Charlie said.

"You can ask later, right now let Uncle Fred finish the chapter." Victoire said. Fred then went back to reading.

**"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"**

**"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.**

**The fat lady continued to sing looking at the glass in her hand. **

**"Fortuna Major," Seamus said loudly. "She still won't let me in."**

**"No, no wait, wait!" she coughed "La La LLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA!" she continued staring at the glass it was an awful sound, she smashed the glass on the wall of her portrait. **

**"Amazing," she said happily as though she hadn't smashed it herself, "top of my voice." **

**"Fortuna Major!" said Cris. **

**"Oh yes, alright," she said grumpily. "Go in." **

**"Thank you." Cris said sarcastically. "She's nuts," she said, as she walked through with Seamus, "she's still doing that, she can't even –"**

**"Sing!" said Seamus**

**"Exactly!" said Cris,**

"No she can't," all the Gryffindors said with a fond smile.

**heading across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Cris climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Cris, looking around, felt she was home at last. **

"It is home to some students." Dumbledore said sadly.

"It's sad but true," Lily said.

**"Hey look what I got!" Seamus said laughing when everyone came in, he was holding up a bag of sweets that looked like enlarged Bertie Botts's. **

"I love those!" the marauders, Tonks, Bill, Charlie and the twins said.

**Neville and Ron's faces lit up. Cris looked at Dean, who met her confused look with his own. **

**"I visited me Gran in Ireland, this shop does um, look." Seamus put a green sweet in his mouth. **

**"Ooh ooh ooh eee eee eee aah aah aah!" he screeching like a monkey his body language also becoming like more monkey like. **

"That sounds entertaining." Hermione and Ginny said.

"We do have a lot of fun." Cris, Ron and Neville said.

**When he finished we all gave him a round of applause. Soon we were all sitting between Dean and Neville's bed eating them all in turn. **

**"Here Neville," said Ron "Try an elephant." Neville caught the grey bean and shoved it in his mouth. His head kept jolting forward while he made an elephant's trumpet. When he finished there was another round of applause, Cris laughed she couldn't imagine doing this in a girls dorm. **

"No because Lavender and Pavarti are party poopers." Hermione said.

**"Here, Ron, catch." said Seamus throwing him a red bean, Ron shoved it in his mouth and began to roar like a lion. They all burst out laughing. **

**"Ha ha, I think we have a winner!" laughed Dean. Cris went to pick up a white one,**

"Don't eat that one!" Tonks said.

"Why not?" Hermione and Ginny asked.

"You'll see," Tonks said.

**Ron saw and as Cris put in her mouth he said. **

**"No don't try one of them!" to late Seamus, Neville and Ron groaned amusedly, Cris could feel steam coming from her ears. **

**"Look at her!" laughed Dean. "Look her face!" **

**When it was over, Cris lobbed a pillow at Dean, which began a pillow war.**

"Those are fun," Neville said.

"Because Cris squeals when all of us gang up on her." Ron said. Cris glared over at him and he cowered.

**I really am home, Cris thought as she whacked Seamus's head from behind with her pillow... **

"That's the chapter," Fred said.

"Before we continue I think we should have a break and get something to eat." Mrs. Weasley said.

"What a marvelous idea." Dumbledore said. Fred set the book down and the all went to the dining area for lunch.


	7. Break 1

"So can you at least tell us who we marry and our kids?" Bill asked.

"I'm sure that wouldn't hurt." Victoire said. The future kids looked at each other and nodded.

"Okay, Uncle Bill marries Fleur and they have Victoire, Dominque and Louis. Victoire is the only Ravenclaw in that bunch." Keiran said.

"And you and Victoire are engaged?" Bill asked.

"Yes," Keiran said with a blush.

"Do you treat her right?" Charlie asked eyeing Keiran up and down.

"Of course, I've had a lot of threats handed to me about that. I would never hurt Vic," Keiran said.

"Ooohhh, can you tell us who the kids are with as well?" Ginny asked.

"The older ones who have them I guess." Teddy said.

"Alright Dom is with Lee's son Xander." James said.

"They are cute together." Lily J said.

"Well that's good I guess." Bill said. Bill was stunned that his two daughters were dating and one was engaged to be married.

"Right okay next is Charlie and he marries Angelina." Lily J said.

"Angelina's nice." Ginny said.

"They would be perfect for each other." Cris said.

"Why do you say that?" Charlie asked.

"Because she a quidditch nut just like you." The twins said.

"Alright and they have four kids; Percy, Roxanne, Nicolas and Rebecca." James said.

"You know I feel sorry for McGonagall because there are going to be five Weasley's when Nick and Becca go." Scarlett said.

"Really?" everyone asked.

"Yep," said the future kids.

"Anyway and Percy is with Kingsley daughter." Al said.

"I have kids?" Kingsley asked.

"Yep, we'll get to everyone after we tell the family about their kids." Victoire said.

"Alright," Kingsley said.

"Uncle Percy isn't married and you know about mum and the twins. There's James and Lily, me, Connor, Ryker and the new baby." Al said.

"And beware, James is with Scarlett." Lily J said.

"Well that's unexpected." Robin said.

"Padfoot, we're going to be family!" Prongs said.

"I guess we will be." Sirius said with a smile.

"Lily J is with Teddy," Al said.

"I knew it." Cris said.

"How did you know?" Teddy asked.

"I can see the looks between the two of you." Cris said.

"Moony we're going to be family as well!" Prongs said.

"Yep, looks like it." Remus said.

"And Al is with Oliver's oldest daughter, Keira." Victoire said.

"Is she as crazy about quidditch like her father?" Cris asked.

"Depends really, she can be but not to the extent like Oliver." Teddy said.

"Now you know about Ron and Hermione. They have Rose, Hugo and the new baby." Keiran said.

"No boyfriends?" Ron asked.

"No, Rose is only eleven and was sorted into Ravenclaw, by the way Percy is in Ravenclaw as well." Victoire said.

"And now Aunt Ginny is with Uncle Neville. They have three kids; Alice, Frank and Eric." James said.

"We named them after my parents and granddad." Neville said.

"Yeah, and they're great kids too." Keiran said.

"Good, now what was it about five Weasley's being in the same year?" Sirius asked with a smile.

"Well Connor, Hugo, Alice, Nick and Becca will be in the same year." Scarlett said.

"Oh dear Merlin," McGonagall said.

"It's almost as bad as Scar, Lily J and James being in the same year." Keiran said.

"Now that's fantastic!" Sirius said with a laugh. Soon Mrs. Weasley put the sandwiches on the table. Mrs. Weasley sat down next to Mr. Weasley.

"What was this I heard about Kingsley's daughter?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well Kingsley marries Hestia sometime in the next few years and they have four kids." Scarlett said.

"Four kids?" Kingsley asked. His mouth kind of dropped and his eyes widened.

"Yeah, Albus, Emily, Evan and Naomi. Albus is with Lee's oldest daughter. Albus and Emily are in Ravenclaw." James said.

"I'm honored that you named your son after me." Dumbledore said.

"Of course I would Albus." Kingsley said.

"And Draco is with Luna and they have three kids." Teddy said.

"Three?" Draco asked shocked.

"Yeah, why?" Victoire asked.

"It's just that I don't have any siblings, my father doesn't have any siblings the same with my grandfather." Draco said. Luna smiled and took his hand.

"I probably talked you into it." Luna said.

"Anyway, their three are Scorpius, Lysander and Falon." Scarlett said.

"Interesting names." Bill said.

"Scorpius has a weird name and Falon's middle name is Narcissa, Lysander's is Neville." Lily J said.

"What's Scorpius' middle name?" Hermione asked.

"Hyperion." Al said.

"That's interesting; he's named after a Titan." Hermione said.

"There hasn't been a girl in the family in centuries as well." Draco said.

"She looks just like you but is your complete opposite, we have a bet that she will end up in Gryffindor." James said with a laugh.

"Really?" Draco asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's funny." James said.

"Anyway you guys know that Gwen is with Viktor Krum, they have three kids, a set of twins and a little boy; Aleksandar and Anastasiya are the twins and Nikolai is the youngest." Victoire said.

"Those are definitely his father's influences." Remus said.

"And that's everyone in the room." Lily J said.

"The family sure has grown a lot." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Of course, we do have a lot of kids so it was bound to happen." Mr. Weasley said. Soon the plate on the table was emptied and they all went back into the sitting room to continue reading.


	8. Chapter 6: Talons and Tealeaves

Once everyone was settled back into their spots around the room Cris picked up the book and groaned.

"I had to get this chapter." Cris said.

"What chapter is it Bolt?" Ron asked.

"**Chapter 6: Talons and Tealeaves." **Cris read.

"Just great, just what we needed to hear." Kingsley said.

"Well at least we get to hear about their first Care of Magical Creatures class." Charlie said.

"That's always worth it." Padfoot said.

**When Cris, Ron, (who were still very tired from last night's fun), **

This caused most of the guys in the room to snicker but Fred and George who were mock glaring at their younger brother.

"That better have just," George said.

"Been the pillow fight," Fred said.

"Ron," they said together.

"It was," Ron said throwing his hands up in surrender.

"You two are dorks." Cris said rolling her eyes.

"Thanks love," they said together.

**and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter. **

"What are you doing?" Lily asked Draco.

"I was being an idiot." Draco said.

"That is putting it mildly." Ron said.

**"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Cris. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it…"**

**"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"**

"That's very childish." Lily J said.

"I want to see what she would do if she encountered them." Prongs muttered darkly.

**Cris dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.**

**"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Cris?" **

"Worried?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, of course." George said.

"Why wouldn't we worry?" Fred asked.

"Alright, just curious." Sirius said with a smile.

**"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.**

**George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.**

**"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"**

**"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy. **

"Now that I would have paid to see." Prongs said.

"It was,"

"Pretty funny,"

"I bet it was," Padfoot said.

**"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors…"**

**"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.**

**"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Cris in a low voice.**

"That wasn't you're fault." Remus said.

"I know, but it made me feel weak." Cris said.

"It'll be okay Bambi, don't worry about it." George said kissing her forehead.

**"Forget it, Cris," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."**

"How in the world did I survive?" Padfoot asked.

"I survived because I was thinking about Cris and how I was innocent." Sirius said.

"Well, that's one way to do it." Prongs said.

"Though now he is more mature." Robin said.

"That I can see." Lily said.

**"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"**

**The only time Cris and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse. Feeling slightly more cheerful, Cris helped herself to sausages and fried tomatoes.**

**Hermione was examining her new schedule.**

**"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.**

**"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."**

**"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

**"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And —" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look— underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?" **

"That's not possible." Moony said.

"How are you going to be doing that?" Bill asked.

"Magic," Hermione said.

"We know that but what kind are you using?" Charlie asked.

"You'll find out at the end of the book." Cris said.

"I really don't like that answer." Padfoot said.

**"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."**

**"Well then —"**

**"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione. **

"Good distraction Mione." Sirius laughed.

"I tried," Hermione said.

"It didn't work," Cris, Ron and the twins said.

**"But —"**

**"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

**Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand. **

"How nice," Robin said going green a little.

"Sure does sound like Hagrid though." Charlie said.

**"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready… hope it's okay… me, a teacher… hones'ly…"**

**He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.**

**"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.**

**The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.**

**"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"**

**They finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed Cris into the Entrance Hall.**

**The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.**

**"There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut," Ron panted, **

"We found one." The marauders said.

"Where is it?" everyone asked.

"It's marked on the map." Prongs said. The twins and the trio along with the future Potter's, Black's and Lupin smiled and vowed to look at it next time they could.

"You mean to tell me that there was a short cut this whole time?" Bill asked.

"Yes," Sirius said.

"I can't believe that we didn't find it Charlie." Tonks said.

"I know, and I thought we had it down." Charlie said.

**as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.**

**"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.**

**"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window…"**

**Cris was watching the painting. A fat, dappled-grey pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Cris was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but she always enjoyed watching them. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armor had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off. **

"Don't you dare talk to that deranged knight." Bill said in a warning tone.

"He's a complete and total idiot." Charlie said.

"No need to tell us that." said the current Gryffindors.

Some of the group noticed that Sirius flushed a little.

**"Aha!" he yelled, seeing Cris, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"**

**They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed face down in the grass.**

**"Are you all right?" said Cris, moving closer to the picture.**

"Only you would ask that to someone like that." Sirius said with a smile.

**"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!"**

**The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.**

**"Listen," said Cris, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"**

**"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"**

**He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sir and gentle ladies! On! On!" **

"And now he is going to lead you all over the place." Moony said rubbing his face.

"Yep" the trio said tiredly.

"It wasn't very fun either." Ron said.

"I don't think it could ever be fun with him around." Padfoot said.

"No, but it was always very entertaining." Cris said.

**And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.**

**They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.**

**"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.**

**Puffing loudly, Cris, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiraling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.**

**"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"**

**"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental." **

"And we needed it as well." Neville said.

"What happened?" Prongs asked.

"I don't think we really want to know." Bill said.

"Probably not but we will anyway." Charlie said.

**They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged Cris and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.**

**"'Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher,'" Cris read. "How're we supposed to get up there?"**

**As though in answer to her question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Cris' feet. Everyone got quiet.**

**"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Cris climbed the ladder first. **

"Were you just doing that to see up her skirt or Hermione's?" Sirius asked with a smirk. Both girls looked over at their best friend with a look that said that he better not answer it if he valued his life.

"I would never," Ron said going red.

"And by that he means he has done that." Bill said.

"Bill!" Ron exclaimed.

"What I know that I've done it, I'm pretty sure any guy has." Bill said.

"I don't think we want to know." Tonks said.

"No, probably not." Robin said.

**She emerged into the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups. **

"Sounds interesting," Gwen said.

"It was a very boring class. The only thing you have to do in order to pass it is do fake predictions." Cris said.

"You are so much like your father." Lily said.

"It's true though, wait until she gets to my cup and you'll see why." Cris said.

**Ron appeared at Cris' shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.**

**"Where is she?" Ron said.**

**A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.**

**"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last." **

Remus shook his head, he never really liked the subject but the teacher was just plain crazy.

**Cris' immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect.**

"That isn't very nice." Lily said.

"It's true," the trio, Neville, Bill, Draco, the twins and Ginny said.

"This I got to hear." James said.

"You never took Divination?" Cris asked.

"No, you dad and papa said to not under no circumstances take the useless class." Lily J said.

"So instead we took the other options." Al said.

"Thank god we talked them out of it." George said.

"But now they get to hear why we talked them out of it." Fred said.

"True," Cris said.

"Can we continue?" Snape asked. Cris picked up where she left off.

**Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.**

"Yeah, I can see why you said that she looks like an insect." Charlie said with a laugh.

**"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Cris, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.**

**"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."**

**Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.**

**I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you… Books can take you only so far in this field…"**

**At these words, both Cris and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject. **

Hermione smacked Ron but glared at Cris seeing as three people separated them.

"You know it's true," Cris said.

**"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?" **

"Her allergies were acting up but that's it." Neville said.

"It is allergy season though." Hermione said.

"Her allergies do get bad during the fall." Neville said.

**"I think so," said Neville tremulously.**

**"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly.**

**"We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."**

"And now you've made her afraid of any Weasley man." Tonks said.

"Well it depends on which one you're talking about." Kingsley said.

"The twins are the more dangerous of the bunch." Remus said.

"Why thank you Remus," the twins said bowing.

**Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.**

**"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever." **

"Well that's a giving because it's happened before." Tonks said.

"And it did happen this year." Cris said.

"That's not surprising." Sirius said.

"What was surprising was the person who did leave." Ron said.

"That did come as a shock." Neville said.

**A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.**

**"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"**

**Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.**

**"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."**

"What was it?" Lily asked.

"Something that is sad but was completely random." Cris said.

"Well it does seem like her job to terrify people." Moony said.

"It is," the trio said.

**Lavender trembled.**

**"****Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," — she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."**

"Everyone knows that I will break at least one thing." Neville said.

"Don't worry dear you'll grow out of your clumsiness soon." Lily said.

"I think it was around seventh." Remus said thinking back to seventh year.

"Great, I can't wait until I stop tripping over everything." Neville said with a smile.

**Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind… thank you…"**

**When Cris and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.**

**"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"**

**"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Cris. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making her feel sleepy and stupid.**

**"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom. Cris tried to pull herself together.**

**"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross…" she consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' — sorry about that — but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on… that means 'great happiness'… so you're going to suffer but be very happy…"**

**"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron. **

**"Well my normal ones do need glasses," said Cris, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction. **

Laughter filled the room from the previous statements.

"Why can't you be this funny normally?" Fred asked.

"Because I don't feel like it most of the time." Cris said with a shrug.

"We are seriously going to break you out of that habit." George said.

"Good, because it's weird not seeing mum crack a joke." Al said.

"Finally!" the twins said.

**"My turn…" Ron peered into Cris' teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic…" **

"Well mum does work for the ministry." James said.

"Damn Ron, you're right about that one." Bill said with a smile.

"Apparently," Ron said,

**He turned the teacup the other way up.**

**"But this way it looks more like an acorn… what's that?" He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. And there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal… yeah, if that was its head… it looks like a hippo… no, a sheep…"**

**Professor Trelawney whirled around as Cris let out a snort of laughter.**

**"Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Cris' cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.**

**Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise.**

**"The falcon… my dear, you have a deadly enemy." **

"Nah really, I thought that Voldemort was cute and cuddly." Cris said.

"Talk like that can get you killed." Sirius said.

"Well obviously I don't get killed because my children are sitting in the room with us." Cris said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Sirius said.

"Geesh Dad, I can't believe you forgot about little old us." Keiran said.

"Yeah, did you think we were a figment of your imagination, Uncle Sirius?" Lily J asked.

"You call me Uncle Sirius?" Sirius asked.

"Depends really, sometimes we call you Grandpa but then you say you're too old to be a grandpa so James, Lils, Connor and I call you Uncle Sirius. Ryker's too young so you let it slide with him." Al said.

"Somehow I can so see Padfoot doing that." Prongs said with a laugh. Sirius had a smile on his face happy to know that he's there for his goddaughter in the future.

**"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.**

**"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Cris and You-Know-Who."**

**Cris and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. **

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" the twins asked.

"I'm still me; I just couldn't stand what she was saying is all." Hermione said.

"Why because everyone knows it?" Robin asked.

"Exactly, it's nothing new, old news." Hermione said.

**Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Cris' cup again and continued to turn it.**

**"The club… an attack.**

"That one was true," Ron said.

"But that happens a lot to Cris anyway." Hermione said.

"That's true; it gets old after a while." Cris said.

"I'm sure it would." Tonks said.

**Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup…"**

**"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.**

**"The skull… danger in your path, my dear…" **

"That's nothing new there either." Charlie said.

"Yep, I attract danger." Cris said.

"Too much for your own good." Remus said.

"Sorry," Cris said.

"It's not your fault, well not entirely." Remus said.

**Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed. **

"Nice and dramatic, just how she likes it." Bill said.

**There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.**

**"My dear girl — my poor dear girl — no — it is kinder not to say — no — don't ask me…"**

**"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Cris and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Cris' cup.**

**"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim." **

"And so it begins." Cris said.

"And now everyone will think that she's going to die." Tonks said.

**"The what?" said Cris.**

**She could tell that she wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at her and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.**

**"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Cris hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear girl, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!"**

"And I'm still seeing it." Cris said cheekily. She smiled over at Sirius who smiled back at her.

"That would be because you're wonderful godfather is a grim." Padfoot said with a big grin.

"Exactly," Cris said.

**Cris' stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts — the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent… Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Cris, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.**

**"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly. **

"Go Aunt Hermione!" the future kids shouted. Hermione blushed and Cris and Ron chuckled.

**Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.**

**"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."**

**Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.**

**"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.**

**"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Cris,**

"That's tame for mum." James said.

"We know," Ron, Hermione, the twins, Ginny and Neville said.

"Ah yes, when we brought her to Headquarters." Remus said with a laugh.

**taking even herself by surprise.**

"I didn't mean to scare you pup." Sirius said.

"I wasn't scared of you. I was just irritated at everyone else." Cris said.

"I can see that too." Robin said.

**Now nobody seemed to want to look at her.**

**"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes… please pack away your things…"**

**Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Cris' eyes. **

"Sorry, I was being ridiculous back then." Ron said.

"It's okay Red, we understand." Hermione said.

"Yep, we totally understand." Cris said with a smile.

**"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear," — she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up." **

"Of course he'll be late now." Lily said with a scowl.

"I get nervous easily." Neville said.

"Don't worry about it dear." Mrs. Weasley said.

"You grew out of it Uncle Neville." Lily J said.

"See, you're just fine." Tonks said.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.**

**Cris chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though she were sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at her, as though she were about to drop dead at any moment. **

"That was really annoying." Cris said.

"I just love how sensitive people can be." Tonks said.

"People can be stupid when they want to be." Remus said.

**She hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes.**

**"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class." **

"Well that certainly doesn't happen." Prongs said.

"We excel at doing the impossible." Cris said.

"That's true," Remus said with a laugh.

**Everybody's heads turned toward Cris again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.**

**"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"**

**"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?" **

"She does it every year." McGonagall said.

"So very original of her." Sirius said while shaking her head.

**Everyone stared at McGonagall.**

**"Me," said Cris, finally.**

**"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Cris with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. **

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel Minnie?" Sirius asked.

"I will not sorry Mr. Black." McGonagall said.

"Are you talking to me or my son?" Sirius asked.

"Hey, don't bring me into this." Keiran said raising his hands.

"Keiran, you call her that to." Scarlett said.

"I thought you were on my side Scar." Keiran said.

"Well yes and no, I'm mostly on James' side." Scarlett said.

"Ha take that Keiran." James said with a smug look.

"You turned my sister against me!" Keiran mock cried.

"Boys can be complete idiot." Lily J said.

"That is so true." Victoire said.

"Hey, I thought you loved me." Keiran said.

"I do, I'm just saying that you're an idiot." Victoire said.

"Oh, alright." Keiran said. Everyone started laughing again and when they had calmed down Cris started to read again.

**She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney…"**

**She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in." **

Some of the group snorted at that.

**Hermione laughed. Cris felt a bit better.**

"Glad I could help." McGonagall said with a smile.

**It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?" **

"I'm clumsy; I tend to drop a lot of things." Neville said.

"Or you're like me and you'll trip over thin air." Teddy said.

"Sorry, you got that from me." Tonks said.

"It's okay mum, Aunt Cris used to giggle every time I would trip and then make some comment about you." Teddy said.

"And was it good or bad?" Tonks asked.

"I would say good as it made everyone laugh." Teddy said.

**When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.**

**"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."**

**Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.**

**"Cris," he said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?" **

"I wasn't superstitious, I was just worried." Ron said.

"I know, but it was kind of silly about a dog, I mean at this time I saw it months before I started taking the stupid class." Cris said.

"See if it was the grim she would have been dead before she got to the Leaky Cauldron." Remus said.

"And here I am two years later a few new scars but that's about it." Cris said. She soon continued reading leaving her parents to figure out the new scars.

**"Yeah, I have," said Cris. "I saw one the night I left the Dursley's."**

**Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.**

**"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.**

**Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.**

**"Hermione, if Cris' seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," he said. "My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!"**

**"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.**

**"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"**

**"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen; it's the cause of death! And Cris' still with us because she's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"**

**Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.**

**"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."**

**"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.**

**"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Cris it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly. **

"Was that your attempt to flirt? Cause if it was then it was horrible." Prongs said.

"Uncle Ron was always really oblivious when it came to that kind of thing." Al said.

"That doesn't surprise me." Bill said laughing.

**"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"**

**He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.**

**"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer!**

"Well you did last longer than we thought Mia." Cris said.

"Thank you Bolt, glad that I can amuse the two of you." Hermione said with a glare. Cris and Ron smiled and Cris went on.

**That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"**

**She snatched up her bag and stalked away.**

**Ron frowned after her.**

**"What's she talking about?" he said to Cris. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."**

"How are you doing that?" Tonks asked.

"All shall be revealed in time." Hermione said.

"I really hate that answer." Padfoot said groaned.

**Cris was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale grey, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.**

**Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Cris walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when she spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that she realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins.**

**Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Cris was quite sure she knew what they were talking about. **

"Yeah, it was about letting Hagrid teach." Cris said with a scowl.

"That is complete and utter bull." Padfoot said.

"My sentiments exactly," Ron said.

**Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. **

"He must be excited then." Sirius said.

"It was fun until someone had to ruin it." Cris said glaring at Draco.

**"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"**

**For one nasty moment, Cris thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; Cris had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last her a lifetime. **

"That is true," Remus said.

"Sometimes I had no choice." Cris said.

"Yeah, we know." Mr. Weasley said.

"We wish that you didn't even step foot in there." Lily and Mrs. Weasley said.

**However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.**

**"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books —"**

**"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.**

**"Eh?" said Hagrid.**

**"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Cris, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.**

**"Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen. **

"Not exactly," Bill said.

"I would have loved to have had that book." Charlie said.

"You're insane." His siblings said.

"So that's where Roxi and Perce get it from." Victoire said.

"Get what from?" everyone asked.

"Their craziness for animals." James said with a smile.

"Percy even inherited Uncle Charlie's knack for pranks." Al said.

"Now that I find hilarious, a Percy Weasley liking pranks." Fred said.

"Well he is Charlie's son." George said.

"True," Fred said. Cris chuckled a bit and continued reading.

**The class all shook their heads.**

**"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —"**

**He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand. **

"Well I certainly wouldn't have thought of that." Tonks said.

"I think I would have possibly thought of it." Charlie said.

"Of course you would have." Bill said shaking his head at his brother.

**"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"**

**"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.**

**"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!" **

"This is Hagrid we are talking about." Sirius said.

"Yeah, give him anything to do with creatures and he's happy." Remus said.

**"Shut up, Malfoy," said Cris quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Cris wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.**

**"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an'… an'… now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…"**

**He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.**

**"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," Cris repeated. "He's only flustered because your being a prat."**

**"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you —"**

"Is that a threat?" Padfoot asked raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"If it was than it was awful." Prongs said.

**"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.**

**Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Cris had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.**

**"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.**

**"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"**

"Well they are pretty but it depends on who you're asking." Cris said.

"Buckbeak however is really cool." Sirius said.

"Yes he is." Cris said.

**Cris could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.**

**"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer…"**

**No one seemed to want to. Cris, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously.**

"It always you three isn't it?" Prongs asked in a proud sort of way.

"Well they are Gryffindors." Draco said.

"Thank you Draco," the trio said.

**"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, **

"Hear that Malfoy, 'don't ever insult them.' Were you by any chance listening when he said this?" Ron asked. Draco blushed but didn't anything else.

**'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Cris had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson. **

"Then they were." Moody said.

"What were they doing?" Kingsley asked.

"Something nasty," Hermione said.

**"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt." **

"I know," Draco muttered.

"I don't think we want to know what he had planned." Robin said.

"It was pretty bad," Remus said glaring at the Slytherin.

**"Right — who wants ter go first?"**

**Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Cris, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.**

**"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.**

**"I'll do it," said Cris.**

**There was an intake of breath from behind her, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Cris, remember your tea leaves!" **

"Well maybe you should listen." Sirius said.

"You have officially lost it dad." Keiran said.

"Well it would make me feel better as her godfather." Sirius said.

"You're weird dad," Scarlett said.

"We've known that since forever." Remus said.

**Cris ignored them. She climbed over the paddock fence.**

**"Good girl, Cris!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."**

**He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.**

**"Easy now, Cris," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"**

**Cris' eyes immediately began to water, but she didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Cris with one fierce orange eye. "Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Cris… now, bow." **

"Bad memories," Cris muttered.

"It'll be okay, don't worry about it. It'll be okay." George said.

"No, just wait until the fourth book; I don't think I can handle it." Cris said.

"We'll be there with you." Fred said.

"Okay, let's continue." Mrs. Weasley said. Cris nodded and continued.

**Cris didn't feel much like exposing the back of her neck to Buckbeak, but she did as she was told. She gave a short bow and then looked up.**

**The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at her. It didn't move.**

**"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away, now, Cris, easy does it —"**

**But then, to Cris' enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow. **

"Good job," Charlie said.

"That just means that Buckbeak likes me." Cris said.

"True," Charlie said.

**"Well done, Cris!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"**

**Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, **

"I probably would have thought the same." Hermione said.

"See I'm not alone." Cris said.

Some of the group rolled their eyes and she began reading again.

**Cris moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. She patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.**

**The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.**

**"Righ' then, Cris," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"**

**This was more than Cris had bargained for. She was used to a broomstick; but she wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same.**

**"Here yer go, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, lifting Cris up onto the Hippogriff. **

"It was okay." Cris said.

"I would have loved to have ridden on a hippogriff." Charlie said with jealousy in his eyes.

"Don't worry; I'll let you ride him sometime." Sirius said.

"You have him now?" Charlie asked.

"Yep," Sirius said.

**"Hey! Hey hey! Hagrid!" she said as he let go off her. **

**"an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that…"**

**Cris wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of her was covered with feathers. **

**'Hagrid I'm not so sure –'**

**"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters.**

**Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Cris, she just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before she was soaring upward. It was nothing like a broomstick, and Cris knew which one she preferred; the Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of her, catching her under her legs and making her feel she was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under her fingers and she didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of her Nimbus Two Thousand, she now felt herself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.**

**Buckbeak flew her once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Cris had been dreading; she leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling she was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. She just managed to hold on and push herself straight again. **

"Maybe I should take you horseback riding sometime." Hermione said.

"As long as they don't fly then I'm cool with that." Cris said.

"But I thought that you love flying mum." Al said staring at his mum in shock.

"I do but only if it is on a broom." Cris said.

**"Good work, Cris!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"**

**Emboldened by Cris' success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees.**

**Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Cris watched.**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.**

**"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Cris to, hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?" **

"Are you an idiot or something?" Charlie asked.

"Hagrid said clearly before Cris went in that they don't like being provoked." Bill said.

"I think he was just asking for trouble." Padfoot said.

"That and ruin Hagrid's first class." Moony said.

**It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream **

"I forgot that happened." Neville said.

"He screamed like a little girl." Cris said.

"I bet that would have been hilarious if it hadn't been for the fact that he was hurt." Sirius said.

**and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.**

**"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!" **

"How dramatic," Prongs said.

"What a drama king," Padfoot said.

**"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"**

**Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Cris saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.**

**Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.**

**"They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears. **

"I really don't like her." Draco said.

"I don't think anyone does." Cris said.

"Does she marry in the future?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, but I don't remember who." James said.

"I think it's someone you know though, someone named Nott, I think." Al said.

"Theo?" Draco asked shocked.

"Maybe, I don't know." Lily J said.

**"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.**

**They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.**

**"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Cris, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.**

**"You think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.**

**"Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Cris, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse. **

"I still can't believe that you milked that injury for all it's worth." Cris said.

"I know; I can't believe I did it either." Draco said.

**"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him…"**

**They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.**

**"They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.**

**"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either. **

"Wow, another thing that happens; Ron isn't eating." Fred said shocked.

"That's crazy." Bill said.

**Cris was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Cris was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.**

**"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.**

**They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.**

**"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Cris said suddenly.**

**Ron looked at his watch.**

**"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early…" **

"You three shouldn't be doing that." McGonagall said.

"We were worried, how could we not he is our friend." Cris said.

"I understand that but couldn't you have waited until morning?" McGonagall asked.

"No," the trio said.

"You three are remarkable friends." Remus said with a smile.

**"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Cris saw Hermione glance at her.**

**"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," she said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?" **

"Actually I had," Sirius said.

"Where were you hiding?" Remus asked shocked.

"The forest and the shack mostly." Sirius said.

"And we had no idea." McGonagall said with a smile.

**So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.**

**The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."**

**Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus. **

"Oh Hagrid," Charlie, and the marauders said.

"He always been a pretty heavy drinker when he does drink." Sirius said shaking his head fondly.

**"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognized them.**

"Somehow I don't think he fully recognized them." Remus said.

"He didn't until Mia made took him outside." Cris said.

"I don't want to know what she did." Kingsley said.

**"Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."**

**"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.**

**"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy…"**

**"How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"**

**"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony… covered in bandages… moanin'…" **

"You've got to be kidding, Pomfrey can heal anything." Padfoot said.

"She could have healed that cut in no time." Prongs said.

"We know; he was just being a git." Ron said.

**"He's faking it," said Cris at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."**

**"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later… one flobberworms or summat… Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault…"**

**"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.**

**"We're witnesses," said Cris. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."**

**"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.**

**Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Cris and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug. **

"You have to learn to dodge." Charlie said with a chuckle.

"We know, but we didn't know then." Cris said.

"You should have seen him when James and Lily J were born, Hagrid was bawling because you named them after your parents." Keiran said.

"I bet he was super happy." Mrs. Weasley said.

"He was," Keiran said.

**"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.**

**"Ah, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Cris and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.**

**"What's he done?" said Cris nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.**

**"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.**

**Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.**

**"That's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really —"**

**Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Cris as though he'd only just realized she was there.**

**"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, **

"He gave us a bloody heart attack." Ron said.

"I bet he did." Sirius chuckled.

**so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air.**

**"YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, CRIS! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' HER!"**

**Hagrid strode over to Cris, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to the door. **

"He's only doing that because he cared." Remus said.

"I know; it was just a little overwhelming." Cris said.

"I bet it was; that gave you even more clues." Bill said.

"I don't get the information until about Christmas I think it was." Cris said.

"And how did you find that out?" Robin asked.

"Later," Cris said.

**"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!" **

"Oh Hagrid, he's so sweet." Ginny said.

"He's a fantastic friend." Padfoot said.

"Well that's the chapter, Trouble, you're next." Cris said handing the book to George with a smile on her face. George took one look at the chapter title and smiled broadly.


	9. Chapter 7: The Boggart in the Wardrobe

"**Chapter 7: The Boggart in the Wardrobe," **George read.

"Yeah, it's Professor Moony's class!" Prongs exclaimed.

"If it's anything like Robin's class then it should be good." James said.

"I'm sure it's great. Remember what mum said, he was the one that taught mum to do Patronus'." Lily J said.

"When do you teach Cris?" Padfoot asked.

"When she asked me to." Remus said.

"But that could be anytime!" Prongs whined.

"Be quiet and let George read." Lily said.

**Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, **

"There was absolutely no need for that." Lily said glaring at Draco.

"I know; I was so stupid." Draco said.

"It was completely uncalled for." Tonks said.

**when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon; his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Cris' opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle. **

"Now that is over dramatic. All it was a scratch from a provoked attack from a creature. Now if you had only listened in the first place you wouldn't have been in that situation to begin with." Charlie ranted.

"Don't mind him he is just in love with animals." Bill said.

"Well now at least." Victoire said to her father.

"I still can't believe that he gets married when he said his true love was dragons." Bill said.

"Maybe you'll get to meet Percy and maybe he'll bring Rose and Alice with him." James said.

"And maybe Scorpius, I don't think Alek and Ana will come but they might." Al said.

"How old are Alek and Ana?" Gwen asked perking up at the mention of her children.

"They're six, Rose and Scorp are 11 and Alice is 9." Teddy said.

"Then they shouldn't come." Mrs. Weasley said.

"That reminds me, since you're here who is in charge back home?" Lily J asked.

"Dom, Jas and Xander are there." Al said.

"Good," Keiran said.

"But won't everyone notice that you guys are missing?" Tonks asked.

"Well not really, the younger kids are at home but everyone 9 and up are at Grimmauld just chilling and doing homework." Teddy said.

"Alright, can I continue?" George asked. Everyone nodded and they continued.

**"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"**

**"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Cris saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.**

**"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.**

**Cris and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said 'settle down' if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention. **

"If that isn't favoritism than I don't know what is." Charlie said.

"We are going to be having a talk about this after the reading Severus." Dumbledore said. Snape looked down so George continued.

**But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generally favoured his own students above all others**

**They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Cris and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.**

**"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm —" **

"And now he is going to make the two of you do it isn't he?" Padfoot asked.

"Really, nobody would have guessed." Moony said sarcastically.

**"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.**

**Ron went brick red.**

**"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy.**

**Malfoy smirked across the table.**

**"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots." **

"Oh I'll cut something but it won't be the roots." Sirius growled. Draco gulped and nervously sat back hopefully to hide him from view.

**Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes. **

"Don't do that." Bill said groaning.

"I know, I should have realized." Ron said.

**"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."**

**Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.**

**"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."**

**"But, sir —!"**

**Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces. **

"And now you're hard work will go to a filthy snake." Padfoot said.

"You get used to it." Ron grumbled.

"Which totally sucks." Cris said.

"I bet," Prongs said.

**"Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.**

**Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again.**

**"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter. **

"This is utterly ridiculous." Tonks said.

"It'll be okay mum, he straightens out in a few years but he does." Teddy said.

"Good," Tonks said.

**"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Cris the look of loathing he always reserved just for her.**

**Cris took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Cris skinned the shrivelfig as fast as she could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.**

**"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly. **

"And now he's trying to goad you." Remus said.

"He does that a lot." Cris said.

"Great we get to see more egging on." Lily said.

**"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.**

**"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury —"**

**"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron. **

"We'll help with that." The twins, Charlie, Padfoot, Prongs, James, Al, Keiran and Teddy said.

**"– he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" — he gave a huge, fake sigh — "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"**

**"So that's why you're putting it on," said Cris, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because her hand was shaking in anger, "To try to get Hagrid fired." **

"Remind me to never get Cris mad when she has a sharp object in her hand." George whispered to his twin.

"Yeah, I'd rather not have something cut off." Fred said.

"If you don't be quiet then I will cut something off." Cris said.

"Yes Bambi," they said while their brothers and sister chuckled in amusement.

**"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."**

**A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse.**

**His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned —**

**"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.**

**"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" **

"Try actually helping and not bullying him. That may actually work." Lily said.

"Yeah, have you ever thought of that Snape?" Prongs asked.

**Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.**

**"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right —"**

**"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, **

"She wasn't asking to show-off Severus, she was just offering to help, like any good student should." McGonagall said.

"I seem to remember you helping me when I needed it, what happened to you?" Lily asked.

"People change," Snape said.

"That is obvious." Lily snapped.

Nobody else said anything as they were seething so George went on.

**and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."**

**Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.**

**"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione. **

"Please tell me that you helped." Moony said.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Hermione asked.

"I'm very glad to have them as my friends." Neville said.

"That's what friends are for." Robin said.

**"Hey, Cris," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Cris' brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted." **

"Why did you let yourself be sighted?" Robin asked.

"Had to let me be sighted, it was a part of my plan." Sirius said.

"Well it was a good plan." Remus said. The past marauders gapped at Remus.

"Now that's first," Lily said.

"I'd never thought that I would have lived to see the day that Moony would approve one of Padfoot's plans." Prongs said.

"Well now you have, James." Remus said with a smile.

**"Where?" said Cris and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.**

**"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone." **

"I didn't mean to panic you." Sirius said.

"Don't worry about it Siri, we were all fascinated about the first Azkaban escapee." Cris said.

"I can understand that." Sirius said with a smile.

"You were bloody insane for doing this though." Remus said.

"I know, but I saw no other option, I had to get to Hogwarts." Sirius said.

**"Not too far from here…" Ron repeated, looking significantly at Cris. He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"**

**But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on Cris.**

"Again with that, do you have a crush on Cris or something?" Bill asked.

"I should hope not, I have a thing for red heads." Cris said.

"Good, because I have a thing for blondes." Draco said.

"Good," Cris said.

"Otherwise you would," Fred said.

"Have to talk with us." George said.

"And I don't think you want that." They said together.

**He leaned across the table.**

**"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"**

**"Yeah, that's right," said Cris offhandedly, not being bothered to deal with Malfoy right now.**

**Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.**

**"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good little Gryffindor; I'd be out there looking for him." **

"Mr. Malfoy! How dare you egg her on like that when someone we believed to be after to kill was out there." McGonagall said.

"But he wasn't trying to kill her." Draco said.

"At the time we didn't know that at the time." McGonagall said.

"It was completely stupid to say to someone who is known for their recklessness." Remus said.

"I'm not that reckless, am I?" Cris asked.

"You are a little, but enough that we have to watch you closely." Remus said. Cris huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

**"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.**

**"Don't you know, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.**

**"Know what?"**

**Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh. **

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Tonks asked.

"If you are you are doing a very good job of it." Charlie said.

"I would love to see what either of those three do to you." Robin said.

"It was pretty good." Cris and Ron said. Hermione blushed and everyone was now curious as to what happened.

**"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."**

**"What are you talking about?" said Cris angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's…"**

**Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see. **

"You are really a good friend." Lily said.

"I didn't even see it." Snape said.

"We're just sneaky like that." Hermione said.

"It's been useful over the years." Cris said.

**Cris and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner.**

**"What did Malfoy mean?" Cris muttered to Ron as she stuck her hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me — yet."**

**"He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid…" **

"I didn't know, otherwise I probably would have told you." Ron said.

"Would you really?" Cris asked.

"More than likely." Ron said.

"Did the two of you know?" Cris asked the twins.

"No," George said.

"If we did," Fred said.

"We wouldn't have." George said.

"Helped you this year." They said together.

"Helped her with what?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I think I know." Remus said.

"Can you tell us?" Prongs asked.

"If it is what I think it is than you know as well." Remus said.

"That makes no sense." Padfoot said.

"Yes it does, but let George continue." Moony said.

**The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.**

**"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned." **

"If it was poisoned, would have administered the antidote, right." McGonagall said.

"Of course," Snape snapped out.

"Good," McGonagall said.

**The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.**

**There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.**

"Thank god for Hermione." Robin said.

"No kidding." Neville said.

**The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.**

**"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed." **

"That was totally uncalled for, even though you had told them not to help." McGonagall said.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Cris was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, while Ron was seething about Snape.**

**"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"**

**Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around.**

**"Where is she?"**

**Cris turned too. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch.**

**"She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning. **

"What the heck." Padfoot said.

"What is going on?" Moony asked.

"You'll find out at the end." Remus said with smile.

"No fair," Prongs said.

**Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Cris and disappeared.**

**"There she is," said Cris.**

**Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.**

**"How did you do that?" said Ron.**

**"What?" said Hermione, joining them.**

**"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."**

**"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — I had to go back for something. Oh no —"**

**A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Cris wasn't surprised; she could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books. **

"Why are you carrying around all those?" Padfoot asked.

"Because I was taking a bunch of classes." Hermione said.

"But some of them were at the same time as others." Prongs said.

"I managed." Hermione said.

"With some major exhaustion." Cris pointed out.

**"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.**

**"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"**

**"But —" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."**

**"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same.**

**"I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, **

"Hey," George said.

"That's Ron's line." Fred said.

"I know, but I was starving." Hermione said.

**and she marched off toward the Great Hall.**

**"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked Cris who nodded. **

"Wow, I can't keep anything from you two can I?" Hermione asked.

"Nope," Cris and Ron said.

"Well, it was worth a shot." Hermione said.

"You can't keep anything from the nosiest people in school." Fred said.

"They will do anything to find something out." George said.

**Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals. **

"Well, I did but I also had a good night's sleep." Remus said.

"That always good after a full moon." Padfoot said.

"Yep," Remus said.

**"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags? Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."**

**A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose. **

"Don't worry, Professor Moony won't do anything that stupid." Prongs said.

"It was a very fun lesson." Neville said.

"I bet, I can't wait." Padfoot said literally bouncing in his city.

**"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."**

**Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.**

**Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.**

**"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —" **

"He's still singing it after all these years." Moony said.

"Who taught it to him anyway?" Cris asked. Remus and Moony turned to glare at Sirius and Padfoot who were whistling innocently.

"Why am I not surprised." Cris said with a chuckle.

**Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.**

**"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."**

**Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry. **

"He's still like that." James said.

"Good, he wouldn't be him if he didn't do things like that." Fred said.

**Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.**

**"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."**

**He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.**

**With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves' left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing. **

"That's cool for a Professor." Tonks said.

"Yep, he was one of our coolest teachers." Cris said.

"Who's yours?" Sirius asked the future kids.

"Well it's a tie between Uncle Neville and Aunt Robin." Teddy said.

"Same," said the rest of the future kids.

**"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.**

**"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"**

**They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.**

**"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.**

**The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. **

"Good grief, what are you going to do now?" Kingsley asked.

"Being his usual evil self." Ron said.

**As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."**

**Neville went scarlet. Cris glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers. She went to comment**

Everyone glared at him and he just sneered right back.

**but then she noticed Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.**

**"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."**

"And you did indeed." Remus said.

"Thanks," Neville said going almost as red as Ginny's hair.

**Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap. Ha! Cris thought. **

**"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. **

"And only you and Ron would know that." Sirius said with a smile. The two kind of grinned at each other sheepishly as George continued reading.

**As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.**

**"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."**

**Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively. **

"As long as your fear isn't anything too bad then you'd be alright, besides there's a teacher in the room." Lily J said.

"Very true Miss Potter-Weasley." Dumbledore said with a smile.

**"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. **

"You are not going to tell them that one are you?" Lily asked.

"Which one would that be?" Remus asked with smile.

"You know which one." Lily said with a glare.

"He is isn't he?" Prongs asked.

"I think he is James." Lily said.

**This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.**

**"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"**

**Hermione put up her hand.**

**"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."**

**"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. **

"So far a lot better than the others." Bill said.

"I should hope so." Remus said.

"You have been our best so far." Cris said. Everyone who had him as a teacher nodded in agreement. Remus blushed and Tonks was thinking that he was really cute.

**"So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.**

**"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Cris?"**

**Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to her, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, Cris knew the answer and debated telling a half right answer but something about Lupin made her want to try hard. **

"Good, maybe we should Remus teach again." McGonagall said.

"That would be awesome!" the Trio, Neville, Ginny and Draco said.

"See, you got the support even though they know what you are." Dumbledore said.

**So she decided to go for struggling but right. **

"Well, at least she is improving." Sirius said.

"That's a good thing." Lily said.

**"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"**

**"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. **

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Hermione said.

"It's no problem." Cris said with a smile.

**"It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — **

"God, you did." Prongs said.

"So who's afraid of what?" Cris asked in anticipation.

"Lils is afraid of the corpse and Prongsie is afraid of the slug." Padfoot said with a laugh.

"I can't believe you told that to a bunch of third years." Prongs groaned.

"It's a good teaching story though." Lily said. The kids started to laugh and George started to read.

**tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening. **

"It was for me." Prongs said glaring at Remus.

"It was for everyone else." Sirius said with a laugh.

**'The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.**

**"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… riddikulus!"**

**"Riddikulus!" said the class together.**

**"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."**

**The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.**

**"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"**

**Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out. **

The kids from the future and present started to chuckle and the teachers tried to hide their smirks aside from Snape.

"What was it?" Prongs asked.

"Was it something really frightening?" Padfoot asked.

"Depends on the person, I guess." Neville said.

"This should be good then." Padfoot said.

**"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.**

**Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape." **

"This should be good." Padfoot said rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Everyone else was trying hard not to laugh. Some going red and Cris going blue. Fred and George pounded on her back and she started to breathe again but still trying very hard not to laugh.

**Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. **

**"Professor Snape," he chuckled, "yes, frightens us all." **

**Professor Lupin, expression turned thoughtful.**

**"Professor Snape… hmmm… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?" **

"You didn't." Robin said.

"I/he did." Remus and Neville said. The marauders had a gleeful look in their eyes so George continued.

**"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."**

**"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder; could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?" **

"Oh Moony you are a genius." Sirius said hugging Remus.

"Thank you my dear friend." Remus said.

**"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag." **

Everyone was now laughing so hard that it took a long time for everyone to calm down before George continued reading.

**There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.**

**"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"**

**The room went quiet. Cris thought… What scared her most in the world?**

**Her first thought was Lord Voldemort — a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before she had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of her mind… **

"Is there something funny that you could do to make Voldemort funny?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Cris said.

"But what is it that you are afraid of?" Prongs asked.

"We'll find out James." Lily said. Prongs nodded solemnly and let George continue.

**A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak… a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth… then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning…**

**Cris shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Give it roller skates." Cris was sure she knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.**

**"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.**

**Cris felt a lurch of fear. She wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But she didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves. **

"That is a good question, how do you make a Dementor less frightening?" James asked.

"I don't think there is a way." Remus said.

"There has to be though." Lily J said.

"And mum should have asked for a little more time." James said.

"That too." Al said.

"I do remember Aunt Cris putting a bright pink tutu and pink robes." Victoire said.

"Only Cris could think of something like that to put on a Dementor." Sirius said with a laugh.

**"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"**

**They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.**

**"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three —now!"**

**A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.**

**Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.**

**"R — r — riddikulus! " squeaked Neville.**

**There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag. **

"Man, I wished I could have seen that." Sirius laughed.

"I wished I could have as well." Prongs and Padfoot said laughing as well.

"Me too!" cried the rest of the room besides the ones that were there to see it.

**There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"**

**Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —**

**"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.**

**A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.**

**"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.**

**Seamus darted past Parvati.**

**Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Cris' head stand on end — "Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.**

**The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.**

**Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then —crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before —crack! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.**

**"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"**

**Dean hurried forward.**

**Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.**

**"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.**

**There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.**

**"Excellent! Ron, you next!"**

**Ron leapt forward.**

**Crack!**

**Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Cris thought Ron had frozen. Then —**

**"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs had been given roller skates and it was now sliding around the floor; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Cris feet. She raised her wand, ready, but —**

**"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. Crack! **

"Why didn't you let her face it?" Prongs asked.

"I thought that Voldemort would be her boggart." Remus said.

"Well that is a good reason." Padfoot said.

"That would have terrified the living hell out of us." Neville said.

"I'm glad that it wasn't then." Cris said.

**The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.**

**Crack!**

**"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.**

**"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.**

**"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione and Cris."**

**"But I didn't do anything," said Cris.**

**"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Cris," Lupin said lightly. **

"So that's why you asked, you didn't want her to feel left out so you asked her so she wouldn't have to face the boggart." Tonks said.

"I do my best." Remus said.

**"Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."**

**Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Cris, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped her from tackling the Boggart. Why? Was it because he'd seen Cris collapse on the train, and thought she wasn't up to much? Had he thought Cris would pass out again?**

"If I had known it was something else I might have let you deal with it." Remus said.

"But now she is going to broad over it until you explain it to her." Hermione said.

"And she did." Ron said. Cris glared at him and George continued with a chuckle.

**But no one else seemed to have noticed anything.**

**"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.**

**"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.**

**"And Snape in that hat!"**

"It was the talk about the castle for at least a month." Fred said with a laugh.

"I can imagine." Padfoot said.

"That's what happens when you have a prankster as a Professor." Prongs said.

"And I hope you have more, it livens up the place." Sirius said.

**"And my mummy!"**

**"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.**

"That's what they thought?" Remus asked. The present kids nodded and Remus smiled.

**"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.**

**"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly.**

**"But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart —"**

**"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?" **

The kids chuckled slightly while Hermione blushed slightly at that.

"Well that the chapter. Here ya go James." George said handing the book to his son.

"This should be a good one." James said with one of the mischievous grin that everyone was familiar with.

"You know, I've always wondered what a red-headed me would look like, now I know." Prongs said. Grandfather and grandson shared a smile before James started to read the chapter.


	10. Chapter 8: Flight of the Fat Lady

"**Chapter 8: Flight of the Fat Lady," **James read.

Sirius blushed and Cris and Remus laughed.

"What did you do Sirius?" Robin asked.

"I lost my temper." Sirius said.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Remus asked.

**In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. **

Everyone turned to glare at Draco and he raised his arms in defense.

"I was just playing it up. I had to make it look like that my father was running my life." Draco said.

"Maybe you do have Gryffindor in you." Cris said.

"No, not even an once." Draco said with a smile.

**"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house elf." **

"You know, that wasn't entirely my fault." Remus said.

"No, it was Greyback's." Cris said.

"Exactly, you didn't choose to be a werewolf." Tonks said. Remus looked over at Tonks in her bright pink hair and smiled at her.

**But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy, water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds. **

"It seems like you guys are having fun in that class." Bill said.

"It was very fun, but wait until you see what the final exam was." Cris said.

"I think that was probably the only time that I enjoyed finals." Ron said.

"Whatever you did, I can't wait to see it." Sirius said.

**Cris only wished she was as happy with some of her other classes. Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had travelled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, **

"Good grief, all Remus was trying to do is make a boggart you less terrifying. It's not his fault that your feelings were hurt." Robin said.

"Nicely said Robin." Sirius said.

**and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.**

**Cris was also growing to dread the hours she spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at her. She couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Cris, as though she were on her deathbed. **

"That was so annoying." Cris said.

"I bet it was," Lily said.

"No doubt about that." Prongs said.

**Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence. **

"They are." Charlie said.

"That sucks that you have to study the boring creatures after all that fiasco." Sirius said sadly.

"I know, though last year was pretty exciting." Ron said.

"Now I really can't wait." Padfoot said.

**"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats. **

"How boring," Padfoot said.

"And it's all Malfoy's fault." Prongs said glaring over at the blonde. Draco cringed away from the glare; it was similar to Cris' as well.

**At the start of October, however, Cris had something else to occupy her, something so enjoyable it more than made up for her unsatisfactory classes. **

"Woohoo! Quidditch!" Prongs and Padfoot exclaimed. Everyone who loved Quidditch shouted in excitement as well which made Hermione roll her eyes.

**The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. **

Cris paled for a moment.

"Pup, what's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"No one has told Oliver about the ban yet have they?" Cris asked. The twins paled along with her.

"What ban?" asked the future kids.

"We haven't told you?" Cris and the twins asked.

"No you haven't told us a lot of things from mum's fifth and dad and papa's seventh year." James said.

"After a fight with Draco; George, Fred and I were banned from Quidditch by Umbridge." Cris said.

"That sucks!" the kids said.

"I know," the twins and Cris said.

"But I don't think Oliver knows," Fred said.

"We haven't gotten any howlers yet so that's a good thing." George said.

**There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points.**

**Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.**

**"This is our last chance —my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it. **

"So he is literally going to torment all of you about this isn't he?" Kingsley asked.

"Yep," Cris and the twins said because they were the only ones in the room who were on the team when he was Captain.

**"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. **

"He was good about doing that too," Ron said.

"Yeah, we rarely got the chance to see you this year." Hermione said.

"I know, but it was worth it." Cri said.

"That it was," the twins said smiling in memory of it.

**"We've got three superb Chasers."**

**Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell.**

**"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."**

**"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush. **

The twins bowed as did James and Lily J.

"Do you two play?" Cris asked.

"Yes, James and I are beaters and Al is a seeker." Lily J said.

"Connor likes to play as Chaser, we don't know about Ryker yet, you're still teaching him how to fly." Al said.

"Cris is teaching him how to fly while pregnant?" Mrs. Weasley and Lily asked.

"No, Papa and mum take turns while Dad watches the shop." James said.

"That reminds us, who do Teddy and Keiran play for?" Padfoot asked.

"Wimbourne Wasps," Keiran said.

"Sweet," Padfoot and Prongs said.

**"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Cris with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.**

**"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.**

**"Cracking Keeper," said Fred.**

**"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Cris joined the team,**

**I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing…"**

**Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.**

"Now that is something I've never really seen before." Bill said.

"We do our best." Fred said.

"And sometimes even more." George said.

**"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.**

**"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.**

**"Definitely," said Cris.**

**Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. **

"That's not too bad." Sirius said.

"At least not like this git." Padfoot said pointing at Prongs.

"Or this one." Teddy said pointing at Keiran.

"And yet we've won since I was Captain after Green left." Keiran said.

"Who's Green?" Sirius asked.

"Noah Green, he's a muggleborn that was very good at the game." Keiran said.

"That's different but amazing." Robin said.

"Yep," Teddy and Keiran said.

**The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Cris' wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.**

**Cris returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.**

**"What's happened?" she asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.**

**"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron,**

"That totally ruined my mood." Cris said.

"I'm sorry about that." Ron said.

"Don't be, I still had a good time on my own." Cris said.

**pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."**

**"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Cris through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets." **

"You could do without them." Mrs. Weasley said with a huff.

"Molly, it is his money, he can do with it as he will." Mr. Weasley said.

"I know," Mrs. Weasley said.

**Cris threw herself into a chair beside Ron, her high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read her mind.**

**"Cris, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."**

**"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Cris. The next one might not be for ages —"**

**"Ron!" said Hermione. "Cris' supposed to stay in school —"**

**"She can't be the only third year left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Cris —" **

"She won't let you go," Sirius said.

"No I won't, I knew all about you're sneakiness in school and I didn't have any doubt in my mind that you would be somewhere near the village." McGonagall said.

**"Yeah, I think I will," said Cris, making up her mind.**

**Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth. **

"Now that is disgusting." Scarlett said.

"Do you not like spiders?" Robin asked her daughter.

"Depends really. But I'm not too fond of them." Scarlett said.

"Are you sure that you're not mine?" Ron asked with mock seriousness.

"Of course not, I have my dad's eyes and look like my mum." Scarlett said.

"I should hope that we're related." Keiran said.

"Ha-ha, you cause as much trouble as me KJ." Scarlett said.

"KJ?" Sirius asked.

"Yep, I've called him that for as long as I could remember." Scarlett said.

**"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.**

**"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.**

**Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron. **

"He doesn't really like you at the moment does he?" Padfoot asked.

"He does now." Ron said.

"That's good," Lily J said.

**"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."**

**Cris yawned. She really wanted to go to bed, but she still had her own star chart to complete. She pulled her bag toward her, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work.**

**"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Cris.**

**Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced.**

**"OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. **

"He's going after the rat." Sirius said.

"What is the obsession with that rat anyway?" Prongs asked.

"You'll towards the end dad, can you wait until then?" Cris asked.

"I guess," Prongs whined.

**"GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"**

**Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.**

**"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top —**

**"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers. **

"Good Crookshanks." Ron said with a snarl.

"Why are you so terrible to Scabbers?" Percy snapped.

"Because he wasn't what you thought he was." Cris snapped back at him her hair turning a dark pink. Percy looked confused as did the ones who didn't know the story.

**George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.**

**Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.**

**"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"**

**"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"**

**"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!" **

"He is a very smart cat then." Lily said.

"He's part kneazle." Hermione and Cris said.

"So he could since that something wasn't right about the rat." Remus said.

"What about the rat?" everyone asked (besides the ones who know).

"Later," the trio, Remus and Sirius said.

**"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think —"**

**"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!" **

"And I take back everything I said about that rat." Ron said.

"Good, because Crookshanks knew what was going on." Cris said.

"And we had no idea." Hermione said.

**Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.**

**Before Cris could go up to try and talk to him, Lavender whisked her off to sit with a group of girls, Parvati had grabbed Hermione. **

"Alright, what's going on?" Prongs asked.

"Revenge!" Cris said laughing.

"Oh no," Hermione and Ginny moaned.

"Now I'm really curious, mini James, keep reading." Sirius said. James nodded and continued.

**"Isn't Professor Lupin gorgeous?" Lavender squealed. **

"Oh dear sweet Merlin," Sirius laughed out.

"Fan girls!" Prongs exclaimed laughing.

"Please tell me that you weren't one of the Cris." Moony begged. Remus and Teddy spit out their drinks.

"No," Cris said laughing as well.

**The girls around nodded dreamily. Cris soon noticed nearly every girl in the whole tower had come to join in! **

Remus and Moony blushed brighter as the whole room besides Hermione, Ginny and Luna blushed brightly.

"I think they want a detention Moony." Prongs said wagging his eyebrows. Remus and Moony started sputtering again.

**The boys had trudged upstairs to stay out of the way. **

"I couldn't escape," Cris said.

"Poor you," Ron said sniggering.

**"I can't believe it," said Katie Bell excitedly, "someone who knows what they're doing and has the looks to match!" **

"I can't believe this was going on." Remus said his face red with embarrassment.

"You mean to tell me that you didn't know?" Sirius asked his eyes sparkling with amusement. Remus shook his head and James continued reading with a smile on his face.

**Every girl nodded in approval of these words, except for Cris. Lavender noticed. **

**"Come on, Cris don't deny it! He is the fittest teacher we've ever had!" **

"Please, please, please tell me you didn't say anything." Remus said going a little green.

"No, that would be kind of weird. You are my uncle in all but blood." Cris said.

"Good, that would have been bad." Moony said.

**she said "Hermione back me up!" Lavender turned to Hermione, who had gone pink. **

**"He is rather nice" said Hermione timidly. **

**"That's not what you said in the dorm, you said –" **

"Oh dear God, what did you say?" Sirius asked.

"Something I will not be repeating anytime soon." Hermione said blushing brightly that rivaled that of the Weasley's.

**"Cris!" said Hermione quickly "What do you think then?" every girl looked at Cris waiting for what them seemed the obvious answer. **

**"Sorry guys" she said "I don't see it." **

"Thank Merlin, I know you said that you didn't but I'm just relieved to actually hear it." Remus said.

"Plus it would have been just a little bit awkward to say the least." Moony said.

"As I said before I have a thing for red heads." Cris said smiling lovingly at the twins. She kissed them and James decided to continue reading.

**"****Oh Cris don't go all **_**boy**_** on us!" **

"How many times is that used on you?" Tonks asked with a smile.

"Both sides use it." Cris said with a sigh.

"You should see her in the morning with her hair." Neville chuckled.

"Hey, I would like to see you try and have long hair and try and decide what the hell to do with it." Cris said.

"Nah, I'll keep my hair this length." Neville said.

"Good, you won't look good with long hair." Ginny said kissing his cheek. This made her brothers glare at him.

**said Parvati "He is really hot!" **

Remus' smile faltered and he groaned.

"Please find a way to get out of there." Remus said.

"Don't worry, I escape soon enough." Cris said.

**"I'm serious, there is something... I dunno... familiar about him, I can't explain it, but I don't see him like that," this was all true of course; Cris didn't feel remotely attracted to Professor Lupin, **

"Good that would have made James want to kill me." Remus said.

"Damn right I would have." Prongs said.

**but she did feel something towards him. **

"And what is this something?" Sirius asked.

"Like he's important, from my past, a distant memory." Cris said.

"Really?" Remus asked

"Yep," Cris said.

**It just wasn't what everyone else was. She was surprised to see Hermione giggling to Ginny about this... then again she did like Lockhart last year. **

"Now that is something I would rather not be compared to." Remus said.

"Sorry Uncle Remmy," Cris said with smile.

**"Cris!" said Angelina "From one team member to another you can't lie to me! It's an unwritten rule."**

**"I'm not!" said Cris indignantly, they all looked at her. She rolled her eyes. **

**"If I tell you he's fit, even if I don't mean it? Will you leave me alone?" **

"Ah, resulting to surrender huh?" Sirius said with a laugh.

"I would like you to face them if you think that you can handle it." Cris said raising an eyebrow.

"Is that a challenge young Potter?" Padfoot asked.

"In fact it is." Cris said.

"Oh dear, he's going to take it now." Moony said.

"I accept your challenge, and I will tell you about it at a later date." Padfoot said.

"You know if this succeeds I'm going to think that you are out of your mind when you tell me this." Cris said.

"She's got you there Pads." Moony laughed.

"the she is just going to have to take my word for it." Padfoot said.

"Pads, this is my daughter we're talking about, and I don't think she will take your word for it." Prongs said.

"This is true." Padfoot mumbled.

**they all nodded. **

**"Fine" she said, there was a silence. **

**"Go on then," said Ginny. **

"Let's see if she can get out of this." Sirius said.

"I think she does and then will go and hang with the boys." Robin said.

"You really think that?" Sirius asked.

"Yep," Robin said.

**Cris shot her a look and sighed. **

**"Lupin is very nice, can I go now?" Trying to stop her anger from showing, before they could tell her she needed to say something more girly or squeal. **

"We wouldn't have asked that," Hermione said.

"But what about the other girls?" Cris asked.

"They probably would have." Ginny said.

"My point exactly," Cris said.

**She bolted for the boy's dorm where she came across Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville talking they all looked up and grinned. **

"And now they are going to torture you, aren't they?" Tonks asked.

"Just a bit." Cris said glaring at her two dorm mates.

**"What were they talking about?" asked Dean grinning. **

**"Lupin," she said "I've just escaped." **

"And now they are going to pester you." Charlie said with a smile.

"Yes," Cris said grimacing.

**"So does every girl like him?" asked Seamus **

**"Except me, I think," **

**"Come on I don't believe that!" said Ron teasing, "When we went into the train compartment all you did was stare at him." **

"That's just because I triggered a memory." Remus said.

"Yep, and it was very weird to me at first. Then you told me the truth." Cris said with a smile.

**"He looks familiar to me!" she said hotly, her face burning. "It's like I know him! Now, if you idiots don't mind I'm going to bed, before I end up becoming a murderer of four third years!" **

"Would you really?" James asked his mother.

"Probably not, but I would probably try and throw some pretty nasty hexes at them." Cris said. Neville and Ron paled somewhat, they knew what she was capable of.

**Cris stormed to her bed shut her curtain with more force than necessary and quickly took her skirt off so they couldn't barge in on her. Ignoring their half-hearted apologies through the curtains, Cris went to sleep. **

**Cris could tell she was sitting on the floor, on a carpet, but it didn't seem right. She seemed smaller... she couldn't feel her hair on her back. She opened her eyes and looked around; she was in a house that she didn't recognize. Cris stood up, but found she needed support from the table which she barely cleared to take one step. **

"What in the world?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Don't ask me, I could barely remember any of my dreams." Cris said.

**"Look, James she's walking!" cried a man with dark hair, she smiled at him and took a shaky step towards him. **

"Oh sweet Merlin, this is when you were nearly a year old." Remus said completely shocked.

"But that's impossible." Percy said.

"Clearly it isn't as we are reading about it now." Bill said.

**"Pafoo!" she gurgled. The man laughed picking her up and blowing a raspberry on her round stomach.**

**"Clever Crisy!" he said, she gurgled again, he threw her in the air. **

**"What have I told you about throwing my daughter in the air!" the woman with red head, hissed. With a jolt Cris recognized her mother. The man next to her with round glasses was her father! He was trying not to look amused at her and the dark haired man who she didn't yet know.**

"You didn't recognize me at all?" Sirius asked a little hurt.

"You looked very different than the pictures I did see of you." Cris said.

"That's alright, I was just messing." Sirius said with a smile.

**"Easy Padfoot," said her father, and then he sighed, looking sad. "You sure you can't make her birthday, come on it's her first." **

"I remember this," Robin said.

"All I wanted was to stay." Sirius said.

"I don't understand, what's going on?" Padfoot asked.

"Why can't Padfoot come to her first birthday?" Prongs asked.

"Exactly, we always promised that we would always spend our birthdays together, and that includes our kids." Padfoot said.

"It was a war; we had to make exceptions and sacrifices." Sirius said.

"Well that sucks." The past marauders said.

**"Sorry, I can't, Dumbledore's got Order **

"I told you not to talk about this stuff in front of the young ones!" Moody exclaimed.

"How were we supposed to know that she would remember it almost twelve years later in a dream?" Remus asked.

"True, we never anticipated the power of memory." Dumbledore said.

**stuff for me to do. Trust me; I'd rather be here with my little princess." He cooed tickling her. Her father sent him a look.**

**"Ok! Ok, our little princess, I know she's mine." He said smiling.**

**"Well," said the man with light-brown hair, who she realized was a younger professor Lupin, and next to him a woman that looked just like Lupin,**

"I bet that came as a shock." Sirius said.

"Yeah, just a little bit." Cris said with a smile.

**he was less lined, more youthful. "We've got to go; the spy had news for us all." He said, the dark haired man passed her to her mother. **

**"See you pup!" he said kissing her on the cheek, he did the same to her mum and hugged her dad. **

**"You sure you have to go, Remus?" asked James, looking miserable. **

**"Sorry James," he sighed, he smiled at Cris, "See you next week cub!" he cooed. "It's someone's first birthday! We'll leave you to put her to bed, come on, let's go before she screams the place down, Sirius." The dark haired man laughed throwing his head back. **

"**Good luck Lils; be good for mummy and daddy, Crisy." The other woman said tickling her tummy. She followed the two out of the house.**

**Suddenly, Cris was in a bed with curtains drawn around her, sitting up gasping. **

"Nice awakening there, Bambi." Fred said.

"You should do that more often." George said snickering.

"I'd do that more often than I care to actually." Cris said.

**What had that been about? Why was Professor Lupin with her parents? Why was Sirius Black with her parents? Why had she been a baby? **

"You could have come to me if you wanted some answers." Remus said.

"It would have been very difficult to explain though." Cris said.

"Yeah, but you still could have told me when we had tea." Remus said.

"I know," Cris said blushing slightly.

**What had Lupin said, someone was going to be one next week? Was it her? Was that a memory? How could it be? She shook her head. The dream didn't make sense... but it did... she didn't know Lupin's first name... if it was actually Remus something was going on... Cris continued to ponder this, until her eyes dropped and she fell into an unpeaceful sleep.**

"How often does that happen?" Lily asked.

"More than I would like it too." Cris said.

"I'm sorry," Prongs said.

"It's not something to apologize for dad; I have bad dreams a lot." Cris said.

"We can contest to that." Neville and Ron said.

**When she woke the next day some of the finer details had slipped, **

"Now I can remember all of it." Cris said with a smile.

"So you couldn't really come to talk to me." Remus said.

"No, not really." Cris said.

**what had her father called Black? What had **_**she**_** called Black? **

**Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Cris, and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod. **

"Sorry Cris," Ron and Hermione said.

"Don't worry about it; I've come to realize that these two will fight until old age." Cris said.

"And they do, only now it worse because of the pregnancy hormones." Lily J said.

"Only now is that Uncle Ron doesn't really fight back when she's pregnant." James said.

"So little Ronnikins," George said.

"Gets some brains after all." Fred said.

"Oi!" Ron said. Hermione just smiled and laughed and kissed his cheek. Ron blushed brightly but didn't say anything else.

**"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.**

**"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.**

**"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.**

**They had Transfiguration next. Cris, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether she could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how she was going to argue her case. She was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line. **

"You know, if I had known what she was dreading I most likely wouldn't have said anything." Hermione said.

"Hind sight is always 20-20 Mia." Cris said.

"Thanks Bolt." Mione said.

**Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.**

**"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Cris, and Ron went to join the group.**

**"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."**

**"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."**

**"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"**

**"Er —"**

**"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!" **

"Oh dear god, she is letting what that fraud said go to her head." Robin said.

"And now we know what Mione said." Remus said.

"Yeah, not really one of my proudest moments." Hermione said.

**The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"**

**"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"**

**"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then —**

**"Was Binky an old rabbit?"**

**"N — no!" sobbed Lavender. "H — he was only a baby!"**

**Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.**

**"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.**

**Parvati glared at her.**

**"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today —" Lavender wailed loudly. "– and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock —"**

**"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much." **

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley screeched.

"I know; it was because of that fight." Ron said.

"Don't worry; I forgave you a while back." Hermione said.

"Good," Mrs. Weasley said.

**Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, **

"When are they not?" Cris asked.

"We aren't that bad are we?" Hermione asked.

"You fight almost as bad as Prongs and Lily when they were in school." Sirius said.

"You mean that they didn't always love each other?" Ron asked.

"No, not by a long shot." Lily said.

"We fought almost constantly," Prongs said.

"And yet, the two of you in up married." Remus said.

**and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Cris and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.**

**Cris still hadn't decided what she was going to say to Professor McGonagall, but she didn't fail on purpose that lesson to try and get on her good side, **

"You know, it was very unusual." McGonagall said. "I should have realized."

**she and Hermione had both changed their mice into gloves at the same time. **

"You got my talent then." Prongs said.

"You should really use it more; you have a lot of talent." Lily said.

"It's not her fault though; let's blame those awful relatives of hers." Moony said.

**When the bell rang at the end of the lesson, she still wasn't sure what to say, but it was McGonagall who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first.**

**"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"**

**Neville put up his hand.**

**"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —" **

Neville looked down turning red slightly.

"It's okay Uncle Neville, it happens to everyone." Lily J said. Neville smiled gratefully at her and James continued reading.

**"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."**

**"Ask her now," Ron hissed at Cris.**

**"Oh. but —" Hermione began.**

**"Go for it, Cris," said Ron stubbornly.**

**Cris waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk.**

**"Yes, Potter?" Cris took a deep breath, she ran her hand through her hair. **

**"Professor, my aunt and uncle — er — forgot to sign my form," she said.**

**Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at her but didn't say anything.**

**"So — er — d'you think it would be all right mean, will It be okay if I — if I go to Hogsmeade?" **

"She's not going to let you go." Prongs said.

"It was worth a shot." Cris said.

"What you need is something different." Padfoot said.

"And I got it." Cris said with a smile towards the twins. Padfoot and Prongs looked proud and sat back to let James continue.

**Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk. **

"It was the eyes, wasn't it?" Remus asked.

"What do you mean?" Cris asked.

"You know, you might do it subconsciously but when you really want something your eyes get wide and pleading." Remus said. McGonagall nodded in agreement and Cris looked bashful.

"I didn't mean too." Cris said.

"It's alright cub, we're just letting you know." Remus said.

**"I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule."**

**"But — Professor, my aunt and uncle — you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about — about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Cris said, while Ron egged her on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go —"**

**"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." She turned to look at her, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."**

**There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names **

Ron blushed furiously and McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley were glaring at him.

**that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Cris had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade.**

**"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Cris up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening.**

**"Yeah," said Cris gloomily, "great."**

**The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if she was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made her feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as Cris had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed, that was no good. Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort. **

"Great, what did he say to you?" Bill asked annoyed at his younger brother.

"Something that just made me feel worse." Cris said.

**"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Cristal, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Cristal, apart from that, you're not missing anything." **

"Percy! For someone who was raised in the Muggle world seeing Hogsmeade means everything to them." Charlie said.

"I kind of forgot that she was Muggle-raised." Percy said.

"How could you forget, every time I mention something about magic she sits there to drink it all in." Ron said.

"We both do." Hermione said.

**On Halloween morning, Cris awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast, feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing her best to act normally.**

**"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for her. **

"You know, that kind of made me want to make you laugh but I didn't know what to say." Cris said.

"We'll teach you." The twins said. Cris smiled at them and the teachers sort of groaned.

**"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Cris' difficulties. **

"How often does that happen?" Sirius asked.

"More often than you think." Cris said.

"Just how many times are you in danger?" Lily asked.

"More times than I can count." Cris said. Lily whimpered and grabbed James' hand in a death grip.

"It'll be all right Lils," Prongs said.

**"Don't worry about me," said Cris, in what she hoped was at, offhand voice, **

"No it wasn't, you didn't do a very good job." Hermione said.

"A girl can hope." Cris said. Hermione rolled her eyes at her and Cris smiled.

**"I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."**

**She accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.**

**"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?" **

"No, I can take them." Cris said.

"And now I know the truth." Draco said.

"It isn't all that grand is it?" Cris asked.

"No not really, just remind me to never get you that pissed." Draco said.

"But where's the fun in that?" Cris asked.

"Are they still like this in the future?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Victoire said.

"It's pretty funny too." Scarlett said.

**Cris ignored him and made her solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.**

**"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.**

**"Fortuna Major," said Cris listlessly.**

**The portrait swung open and she climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first-and second-years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off. **

"How is that even possible?" Padfoot asked.

"I don't know," Prongs said.

"Or they were doing their homework." Moony said.

Padfoot and Prongs looked at each other and said, "Nah,"

**"Cris! Cris! Hi, Cris!"**

**It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Cris and never missed an opportunity to speak to her. **

"Which can be very annoying." Cris said.

"I get that." Lily said.

**"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Cris? Why not? Hey —" Colin looked eagerly around at his friends — "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Cris!"**

**"Er — no, thanks, Colin," said Cris, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on her forehead. "I — I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."**

**After that, she had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.**

**"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after her as she walked away.**

**Cris wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there she changed her mind; she didn't feel like working. She turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.**

**"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.**

**"Nothing," said Cris truthfully.**

**"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own — why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"**

**Cris shrugged.**

**"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, **

"That's Filch for you." Bill said.

"He's that way with everyone even though you are allowed to wander when there aren't any classes." Robin said.

**and he stood glaring until Cris had passed out of sight.**

**But Cris didn't go back to the common room; she climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Cris?" **

"You were looking lonely." Remus said.

"I was, but I would have been okay by myself." Cris said.

"No, not on that day." Robin said.

"What do you mean?" Cris asked.

"You mean nobody has told you?" Sirius asked.

"Told me what?" Cris asked even more confused.

"Halloween is the day that your parents were killed." Mrs. Weasley said gently. Cris eyes went wide for a minute before closing them.

"Are you okay?" Fred asked.

"I'll be fine, James, please continue." Cris said. He nodded and continued.

**Cris doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.**

**"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?" **

"He knows who her friends are already." Sirius said.

"Siri, it's October and I hardly go anywhere without them." Cris said.

"She has you there, Pads," Remus said.

**"Hogsmeade," said Cris, in a would-be casual voice.**

**"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Cris for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson." **

"I knew that would get your attention." Remus said.

"How did you know?" Cris asked.

"I knew it would get James' attention I thought it might get yours as well." Remus said with a smile.

"Not cool, use the curiosity for your advantage." Cris said.

"It worked." Remus said.

**"A what?" said Cris.**

**She followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.**

**"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."**

"I know, the lake has them." Cris said.

"How do you know?" Prongs asked.

"You know, I decided to go swimming." Cris said offhanded. She was trying not to think of the Tournament, and the same went for everyone who knew.

"I wish we thought of going swimming." Padfoot said.

"It's not that fun, I wouldn't recommend it." Cris said.

**The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.**

**"****Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."**

**"****All right," said Cris awkwardly, running her hand through her hair as it turned light green as she stared mesmerized at the tank. **

"You still haven't told her?" Lily asked.

"I didn't know how." Remus said.

"So when do you?" Sirius asked.

"Later," Cris said.

**Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.**

**"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"**

**Cris looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling. **

"Who told you?" Padfoot asked.

"Teachers talk." Remus said.

"Minnie!" the marauders said.

**"How did you know about that?" Cris asked.**

**"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Cris a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"**

**"No," said Cris.**

**She thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog she'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to.**

"Good, that probably would have given me a heart attack." Remus said.

"Wait, why?" Prongs asked.

"At the time, I thought he was a mass murderer going after Cris." Remus said.

"But you would know that I didn't do anything." Padfoot said.

"The evidence was against me," Sirius said sadly. That confused them even more but didn't say anything else knowing that they wouldn't say anything else.

**She didn't want Lupin to think she was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think she couldn't cope with a Boggart.**

**Something of Cris' thoughts seemed to have shown on her face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Cris?" **

"I still don't know how you figured out that I was worrying about something." Cris said.

"Your eyes show your emotion, as well as your hair. As long as we know which color symbolizes what then we know how you're feeling." Remus said.

"Alright, but what about my eyes?" Cris asked.

"You may look like your dad but you show your emotions like your mum." Sirius said.

"Oh," Cris said with a smile.

**"No," Cris lied. She drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at her. "Yes," she said suddenly, putting her tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"**

"I had no idea where you were going with this." Remus said with a smile.

**"Yes," said Lupin slowly.**

**"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Cris abruptly.**

**Lupin raised his eyebrows.**

"Wow, you shocked him." Prongs said.

"That doesn't happen often." Padfoot said.

"I do the impossible," Cris said with a smile.

"That you do." Sirius said.

**"I would have thought that was obvious, Cris," he said, sounding surprised.**

**Cris, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.**

"I could see that at the time." Remus said with a chuckle.

"Darn you genetics!" Cris said with mock frustration. Everyone chuckled and James continued.

**"Why?" she said again.**

**"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." **

"I really wasn't expecting you to say his name." Cris said sheepishly.

"It's alright Cris; I was never really scared to say his name." Remus said.

"None of us were except for Peter." Robin said.

"That should have told us something back then." Sirius grumbled. That confused the past group even further.

**Cris stared. Not only was this the last answer she'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Cris had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from herself) was Professor Dumbledore.**

**"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Cris. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic." **

"Ah, I would have put him into women's clothes." Cris said with a mock pout.

"That would have been something to see." Sirius said with a laugh.

**"I did think of Voldemort," said Cris honestly. "then I — I remembered those Dementors."**

**"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well… I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Cris' face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Cris."**

**Cris didn't know what to say to that, so she drank some more tea. **

"Can you take a compliment?" Lily asked.

"No," Hermione, Ron, the twins, Ginny, Neville and Luna said.

"Oh sweetie," Lily said.

**"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.**

**"Well… yeah," said Cris. She was suddenly feeling a lot happier. Until Cris suddenly remembered her dream from earlier in the month. The one with Lupin and Sirius Black in. Should see tell him?**

"You should have, and then I could have explained some of it to you." Remus said.

"It's a bit late now." Cris said.

"It was a very good memory, it was your first steps, and you took your own sweet time with it." Sirius said with a chuckle.

**Would he be mad if it was real, or think she was stupid if it wasn't? But she didn't just have the dream, when she saw him on the train he looked familiar and he had brought the wolf toy memory into her mind. She decided to go for it Lupin seemed like someone who wouldn't laugh not matter how silly the question may be. **

"You do give off that vibe." Ginny said.

"Glad that I could help." Remus said.

**"Professor Lupin, you know —"**

**She was interrupted by a knock on the door. **

"Of course you get interrupted." Tonks said.

"Come on, they were about to reconnect and you go and interrupt them." Bill said.

"Do you even know who interrupted us?" Cris asked amused.

"Well no, but I have a feeling that it's Snape." Bill said.

"Then you would be right." Cris said. They all turned to glare at Snape.

**"Come in," called Lupin.**

**The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Cris, his black eyes narrowing. **

"I wasn't going to harm her." Remus said narrowing his eyes at Snape.

"The wolf would want to protect her as well." Robin said.

"Definitely, you should have seen him with her when she was a baby." Sirius said.

"It was so adorable, and I bet he was the same with little Teddy over there." Robin said.

"Yeah," Teddy said remembering seeing the pictures his grandma showed him. They still haven't told anyone who has died and who lived.

**"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"**

**Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Cris and Lupin.**

**"I was just showing Cris my Grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.**

**"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."**

**"Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin.**

**"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more." **

"Are you trying to make her curious?" Sirius asked.

"She doesn't need my help with that." Snape said.

"Well it sure seems to me that you did a good job with that." Prongs said.

**"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."**

**"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Cris didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.**

**Cris looked curiously at the goblet; it had a similar texture to bubbled mud only it was silver like unicorn blood. It looked a lot like wolfsbane...**

"You already figured it out, just by seeing the potion?" Remus asked surprised.

"Yeah," Cris said sheepishly.

"I hadn't yet." Hermione said.

"You didn't see the potion." Cris said with a soothing smile.

"Then why do you suck at potions?" Snape asked shocked.

"I may suck at it but that doesn't mean that it doesn't interest me." Cris said.

"Very wise, Potter." McGonagall said.

"And you still asked me to help you." Remus said.

"I know, I just didn't care, you don't seem the dangerous type for me." Cris said.

"That's because you aren't dangerous." Robin said.

**She glanced up at Lupin who was smiling at her.**

**"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.**

**"Why —?" Cris began. Lupin looked at her and answered the unfinished question.**

**"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it." **

**Yep wolfsbane, she thought. **

"Very impressive sweetie," Lily said with a smile.

"So I basically told you without telling you." Remus said.

"Sort of," Cris said.

**She had read a lot on magical creatures she found them fascinating. However even as a small child werewolves had been a big fascination, she from the age of five knew when every full moon was. She never understood why people hated them. They were cursed and most of the time completely harmless, **

"Thank you! Exactly my point." Tonks exclaimed. Remus was about to say something but James continued reading.

**with wolfsbane even more so, so why was people afraid of them? She would class being a werewolf as an incurable illness. **

"It does seem like that, you didn't ask for it to happen, it just happens." Lily said.

"Exactly," Robin said smacking her brother for being an idiot.

**Professor Lupin took another sip.**

**"Sir, did you say sugar made it powerless?" she asked trying not to sound too curious. **

"You failed," Remus said with a chuckle.

**"Unfortunately." said Lupin, as he took another gulp of potion then he drained the goblet and pulled a face.**

**"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Cris, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."**

**"Right," said Cris, putting down her empty teacup. **

**The empty goblet was still smoking, that was defiantly wolfsbane. She decided not to tell Lupin she knew not wanting to upset him. **

"You wouldn't have upset me; I would have been very impressed." Remus said.

**"Hope that it helps sir," she said. "Especially if it tastes as foul as it looks." She heard Lupin chuckle as she closed the door behind her. **

Several people chuckled at that.

"Nice response, Bambi." Fred said through the chuckle.

**"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."**

**A shower of brilliantly coloured sweets fell into Cris' lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.**

**"Thanks," said Cris, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"**

**By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.**

**"The post office, Cris! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"**

**"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —"**

**"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"**

"So even though Cris couldn't go you two still had fun." Charlie said.

"At least they came back with stuff for you." Bill said. "This git didn't bring any back for me when I was sick and stuck in the hospital wing." Bill said pointing at Charlie. Charlie chuckled sheepishly.

"I did, but Tonks tripped and I fell over her and the stuff fell into the lake." Charlie said.

"I remember that." Tonks said with a laugh.

**"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"**

**"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"**

**"No," said Cris. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in, with some potion to help Lupin feel better, he feels a bit ill."**

**Ron's mouth fell open.**

**"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"**

**Hermione checked her watch.**

**"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes." They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.**

**"But if he — you know —" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Cris."**

"True, that would have been really stupid." Lily said.

"And Snape isn't stupid." Moony said.

**"Yeah, maybe," said Cris as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.**

**The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything.**

**Cris kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Cris moved her eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was she imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural? **

"Now that's not suspicious at all." Padfoot scoffed.

**The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.**

**It had been such a pleasant evening that Cris' good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!" **

"Now that's really childish." Tonks said.

"Well, it is Malfoy." Sirius said to his cousin.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students. **

"What in the world?" Prongs asked. Sirius was looking a little guilty.

"You gave us a bloody heart attack, Pads." Remus said.

"What did I do?" Padfoot asked.

"Something I'm not too proud off. I lost my temper." Sirius said.

"That's not a good thing Sirius." Prongs said.

"We know," said most of the room.

**"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.**

**Cris peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.**

**"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —" **

"Well that's a good thing to do. At least that's one of the good things I've heard." Bill said.

"To be fair he was really good at it, he's just easily trusting of people in powerful positions like the ministers." Cris said.

"That's one way to put it." Charlie said.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

"That you should listen to people who care about you more than to people who try and manipulate you." Cris said. Percy looked confused so James continued.

**And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."**

**People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.**

**"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.**

**A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Cris, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.**

**"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Cris' arm.**

"Well that just made your friends more protective." Robin said with a laugh.

"Yeah, just a bit." Cris said.

**The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him. **

"We were also looking for you." Remus said.

"I wasn't after her." Sirius said.

"We know that now." McGonagall said.

"You mean, I did that?" Padfoot asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said sheepishly.

**"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."**

**"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.**

**It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.**

**"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves' grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly. **

"He really is a menace." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Yes, but it wouldn't be the same without Peeves around." Al said.

"True, I don't think that we could even picture Hogwarts without Peeves." Padfoot said.

**"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.**

**"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black." **

"That is very true." Robin said.

"Hey, is it pick on Sirius day?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," everyone said.

"Well it's your turn Al," James said. Al took the book and started the next chapter his smile falling from his face.


	11. Chapter 9: The Grim Defeat

"**Chapter 9: Grim Defeat," **Al read.

"That doesn't sound good at all." Prongs said.

"No, it scared us." McGonagall said.

"I really don't want to know." Lily said.

**Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, (Hermione and Ron clung to Cris the whole journey,) **

"What are we not allowed to worry?" Hermione asked.

"No you are just be warned; you'll probably end up with early greys like Sirius." Cris said.

"Wait!" Sirius exclaimed as he jumped up and raced from the room to the bathroom. Keiran and Scarlett were laughing so hard that they were clutching their stomachs.

"Not cool Cris." Sirius said. "And why are the two of you laughing?" he asked glaring at his two kids.

"Because you have more grey than black hair now." Teddy said smiling innocently up at his honorary uncle.

"My hair!" Sirius shrieked again.

"At least you aren't going bald." Lily J said.

"Who's going bald?" Sirius asked.

"Well grandpa, Uncle Bill, and Uncle Charlie." James said.

"No!" Bill and Charlie exclaimed grabbing their hair.

"Well the both of you will be in your forties in their time." Mr. Weasley said soothingly.

"But still," Bill said.

"That's too young." Charlie said.

**where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.**

**"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. **

Percy looked proud here as well and his siblings looked over at him.

"At least that's a good thing that you kept you cool." Remus said.

"Yes, it always good to keep your cool in those type of situations." Kingsley said.

"Speaking of which, whose head boy and girl in your time?" Sirius asked.

"Victoire and a guy named Keith Higgs." Teddy said.

"Are there any Prefects?" Remus asked.

"Well Teddy was, and at the moment Haley is with Cason MacDougal for Gryffindor." Lily J said.

"Lee's daughter," Fred said.

"A prefect," George said.

"That's impossible!" they said together.

"Well not really as Remus was a prefect and he was a prankster himself." Cris said.

**"Send word with one of the ghosts."**

**Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…"**

**One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.**

**"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.**

**The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.**

**"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! **

"Like that's going to happen." Bill said.

"Come on Perce, nobody will be able to sleep after something like this." Charlie said.

"I could try." Percy said,

"But it will fail." Remus said.

**Lights out in ten minutes!" **

"At least you gave them some time." Tonks said.

"They're still going to probably be up all night." Charlie said.

**"C'mon," Ron said to Cris and Hermione; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.**

**"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.**

**"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron. **

**"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"**

"That's the reason I picked that night. That way no one would have gotten in the way while they were all down at the feast." Sirius said.

"Wait, what am I after?" Padfoot asked.

"The rat," Sirius said.

"Scabbers? Why did you want Scabbers?" Percy asked completely confused.

"It'll explain if you can be patient." Cris said with a sweet smile.

**"****I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."**

**Hermione shuddered and grabbed Cris' arm. Cris thought if it comforted it her by holding her arm then she would let her do it at least while they were talking. **

"Were you even remotely worried about yourself?" Remus asked.

"Well not really, I felt that something was off about the whole situation. I knew that he would realize that it was Halloween thanks to all the decorations; if he was really after me he had most of the day to corner me. But he didn't so I knew that something was fishy." Cris said.

"That actually makes a lot of sense." Hermione said.

"Why are you so surprised?" Cris asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not, but I guess that thought never really occurred to anyone else." Hermione said.

"You know, thinking back we really didn't think this through very well." McGonagall said.

"We did the best that we could, now Mr. Potter-Weasley, please continue." Dumbledore said. Al nodded and continued reading.

**All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"**

**"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."**

"How is he in Ravenclaw?" Kingsley and Victoire asked.

"Don't ask me." Everyone besides the teacher said.

**"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year. **

"That's closer." Sirius said.

"So you were going around as Padfoot." Remus said with a chuckle.

**"****He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.**

**"****Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to Cris and Ron.**

**"****Probably," said Ron. "Why?"**

**"****Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages; they'll have them covered…"**

"Well not all the secret passages." Sirius said. McGonagall furrowed her eyebrows and Dumbledore chuckled merrily.

**"****The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"**

**The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, Cris felt as though she were sleeping outdoors in a light wind. **

"It was so peaceful despite everything that was going on." Cris said.

"And yet you won't take us camping." James said pouting.

"Why not?" Cris asked.

"Something to do with camping for almost a year during you is seventh year." Lily J said.

"Alright then," Cris said.

**Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Cris watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. **

Percy's blush was getting darker as his siblings were still snickering at him.

**Percy was only a short way away from Cris, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer. **

"Of course she wasn't asleep," Snape sneered.

"It's not my fault that I was curious." Cris said.

"No, you just come by it naturally." Remus said with a laugh.

**"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.**

**"No. All well here?"**

**"Everything under control, sir."**

**"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."**

**"And the Fat Lady, sir?"**

**"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her." **

"I'm sorry I lost my temper." Sirius said.

"Sirius, it's alright, we now know that you were after the rat." Remus said.

**Cris heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.**

**"Headmaster?" It was Snape. Cris kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."**

**"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"**

**"All searched…"**

**"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."**

**"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.**

**Cris raised her head very slightly off her arms to free her other ear.**

**"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."**

**Cris opened her eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to her, but she could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profile, which looked angry. **

"Of course, he thinks I helped Sirius get in and out." Remus said.

"But you wouldn't because everyone thinks that he's a murderer even though he's innocent." Lily said.

"Exactly," Remus said.

**"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.**

**"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.**

**"It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"**

**"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."**

**"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.**

**"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster." **

"I wish they stayed there." Cris mumbled.

"We all do," Fred said rubbing her back.

"We're here now," George said grabbing her hand.

**Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.**

**Cris glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.**

**"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.**

**The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub. **

"I didn't know that you can turn into a shrub, Padfoot." Prongs said with a laugh.

"That's the closest one I think we heard." Cris said.

"That's just sad," Robin said.

**The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. **

"I'm so, so sorry." Sirius said.

"It's alright," George said.

"We forgive you," Fred said.

"Maybe," they said together.

**Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.**

"That's just crazy." Bill said.

"We know," said the current students.

**"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"**

**"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."**

**Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Cris' worries. She was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with her, **

"You noticed." McGonagall said.

"Well of course I did, it was kind of obvious, you all were talking to me. I remember that Professor Sprout was very ecstatic for her son and his wife about their baby girl." Cris said.

"Professor Sprout has a son?" Ron asked.

"And she's a grandmother." Cris said.

"She was very happy about that." McGonagall and Remus said.

**and Percy Weasley (acting, Cris suspected, on his mother's orders)**

"I was and yet here he is with us." Percy said.

"That's because he's innocent, besides look around you. We have two Aurors an ex Auror and Dumbledore. They have yet to attack him." Cris snapped. Percy was now looking confused looking at Tonks to Kingsley to Moody and to Dumbledore looking completely confused.

"All will be explained Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said.

**was tailing her everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. **

"That was so annoying as well. It was very obvious; he was waiting outside the bathrooms every time I went in." Cris said.

"You need to take notes on how to tail someone without them noticing little brother." Bill said.

**To cap it all, Professor McGonagall summoned Cris into her office, with such a somber expression on her face Cris thought someone must have died. **

"Sorry, that's just what it seemed though." Cris said.

**"****There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black —"**

**"****I know he's after me," said Cris wearily. "I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic."**

**Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback. **

"Of course I was, you were completely calm about it." McGonagall said.

"Mum is always calm in these types of situations." Lily J said.

"That's a good thing." Moody said.

**She stared at Cris for a moment or two, then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch **

"You didn't stop her did you?" Sirius asked really guiltily.

"No, Miss Potter has a way of talking out of things." McGonagall said with a smile.

"Just like her old man." Prongs said.

"That means you had her when you were a year old then." Padfoot said.

"You know what I mean." Prongs said.

"I know," Padfoot said with a grin.

**in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter —"**

**"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Cris, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"**

**Professor McGonagall considered her intently. Cris knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested her as Seeker in the first Place. She waited, holding her breath.**

**"Hmm…"Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well… goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last… but all the same, Potter… I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions." Cris nodded eagerly.**

**The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.**

**"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry.**

**"Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead." **

"What! But we always play against Slytherin in the first match." Padfoot said.

"I know, but at least it will be a good game either way." Moony said.

"More like terrifying," McGonagall muttered.

**"Why?" chorused the rest of the team.**

**"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances…"**

"Any excuse will do," Sirius said.

"If I can fly in the rain then so can Malfoy." Cris said.

"But you fell off your broom." Draco said.

"I'd like to see you not with that stuff going on." Cris said.

**There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder.**

**"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said Cris furiously. "He's faking it!"**

**"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their styles quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —" **

Cris turned pale, and the twins went back to rubbing her back. Cris and Cedric had went on one date and that was it. It was before the tournament and they realized that they didn't like each other in that way.

**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie suddenly giggled. **

"Angelina is my future wife right?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," Victoire said.

"Okay," Charlie said.

"You two would be perfect for each other." Cris said.

"Yep," the twins said.

**"What?" said Wood, frowning at this lighthearted behavior.**

**"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.**

**"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.**

**"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. **

"If I had known I would have never said that." Fred said.

"I know, but you couldn't have known what was going to happen." Cris said.

"Wait, what happened?" Lily asked.

"Cedric was killed; I won't tell you exactly what happened it'll tell you towards the end of the fourth book." Cris said sadly.

**"I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Cris caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"**

**"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! **

"Yeah he was." Cris and the twins said.

**I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!" **

"True, you have to keep your focus even if you are playing a different team." Prongs said.

"Don't worry, we played our best." George said.

"Good," Prongs said.

**"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."**

**The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.**

"You guys are just coward." Sirius said.

"You knew that you would never be able to win against Cris." Prongs said.

**"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.**

**Cris had no room in her head to worry about anything except the match tomorrow. Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to her between classes and giving her tips. The third time this happened, Wood talked for so long that Cris suddenly realized she was ten minutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a run with Wood shouting after her, "Diggory's got a very fast swerve, Cris, so you might want to try looping him —" **

"Let her get to class, good grief." Lily said.

"Especially since it's after a full moon." Remus said.

"So you aren't teaching." Prongs said paling a bit. Remus shook his head and Al continued reading.

**Cris skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open, and dashed inside.**

**"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I —"**

**But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at her from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.**

**"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."**

**But Cris didn't move.**

**"Where's Professor Lupin?" she said. Then she remembered the full moon he would be recovering. **

**"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. Git, Cris thought. "I believe I told you to sit down?"**

**But Cris stayed where she was.**

**"What's wrong with him?" **

"Don't argue with him." Lily said.

"Besides you've already figured it out." Prongs said.

"But I couldn't exactly tell everyone that I knew." Cris said.

"True," Prongs said.

**Snape's black eyes glittered.**

**"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty." **

"Good grief, she was worried about a teacher it's natural to ask what's wrong." Lily said.

**Cris walked slowly to her seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.**

**"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —" **

"I believe I did Severus." Remus said, "I left it in my office and I recall telling you about it."

"So you just wanted to do what you wanted, huh?" Sirius asked. Snape didn't say anything just stared into his lap so Al continued reading.

**"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"**

**"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."**

"Remus not being organized, that is almost unheard of." Sirius laughed.

"That certainly is true." The marauders past and present.

**"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean boldly, **

"That's certainly is true." Cris said thinking of the current DADA professor.

**and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. **

Remus blushed which made his son, niece, friends and sister chuckle.

**Snape looked more menacing than ever.**

**"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows.**

"Severus, you should know that they were far behind on their studies thanks to their past teachers." Dumbledore said.

**"Yeah, because our last two teachers have really increased our defense skills," Cris called out,**

This caused the pranksters to snicker but her mother to slap her head.

"That is me you're channeling." Lily said.

"That's just what we need." Remus said.

**Snape glared at her for a moment. **

**"Ten points from Gryffindor, I am impressed Potter you have been in this classroom for mere minute and you have already lost twenty five points for Gryffindor do not speak out again. Now today we shall discuss —"**

**Cris watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered. **

"You're not doing what I think you're doing are you?" Lily asked.

"You should know by now Lils that he is." Robin said.

"You should have listened to them." McGonagall snapped.

**"— werewolves," said Snape. Cris glared at him knowing he was doing this on purpose.**

**"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself,**

"Of course, it's Hermione we're talking about." Charlie said.

"She has a thing about answering questions." Bill said.

"So does Cris now." Hermione said.

**"we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks —"**

**"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson,**

"You should still follow the curriculum." McGonagall said.

**not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"**

**With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.**

**"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape. You git, I know why your teaching us this. Cris thought savagely. **

**Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air. **

"Did you know as well?" Remus asked.

"Well I know the Muggle description of Werewolves but it's pretty close to that of the Wizard world." Cris said.

"Really?" Draco asked surprised.

"You should see the Wolfman." Gwen said.

"Alright," Remus said.

**"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"**

**"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-"**

"I would have gotten to Werewolves eventually Severus, you shouldn't have had to do that at all." Remus said.

"As I remember, Remus was the Professor, you were just the substitute, you should have followed his instructions." McGonagall said.

"We will be talking about this later Severus." Dumbledore said.

**"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"**

"I knew how far behind they were." Dumbledore said, "And they were not that far behind."

**"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"**

**"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."**

"That is completely uncalled for; you asked the question, why not call on someone who knows." McGonagall said.

**Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"**

"Nicely said Ron." Charlie said glaring at his teacher.

"That is worth the punishment, whatever it is." Bill said.

**The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.**

**"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."**

**No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.**

**"Very poorly explained… That is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia…"**

"As it means Japanese Water-demon than you are wrong Severus." Lily said scowling at her once best friend.

**"Wrong it's Japan," Cris hissed under her breath, not wanting the detention she did not inform Snape. Hermione looked at her, Cris just shook her head.**

"You really need to break out of your shell." Lily said.

"She has," Hermione and Ron said.

**"Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three…"**

**When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.**

**"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves." Cris thought things about Snape that she wouldn't dare say out loud as he continued to talk. She knew why he was giving them this homework. It was so someone figured it out. "I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."**

**Cris and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.**

**"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Cris said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the Boggart?"**

**"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon…" **

**Cris avoided Hermione's eyes, she hadn't told them her discovery as it wasn't her secret to tell and Lupin was no danger to anyone so it would be unfair to tell people if he didn't wish to. **

"Oh cub, thank you." Remus said.

"I will always be on your side." Cris said with a smile.

"We all are." Teddy said with a smile towards his dad. Everyone nodded besides Snape even Draco nodded, he was slowly learning more about the group and started to feel a part of it.

**Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.**

**"D'you know what that —" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "Ron!")**

**"— is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"**

"I would have thought about it if I knew he was there." Sirius said.

"Only you would say that." Remus said with a laugh.

**Crus woke extremely early the next morning; so early that it was still dark. For a moment she thought the roaring of the wind had woken her. Then she felt a cold breeze on the back of her neck and sat bolt upright — Peeves the Poltergeist had been floating next to her, blowing hard in her ear.**

"Peeves, not on a Quidditch game day!" Prongs said with a groan.

"That's not good." Bill said.

**"What did you do that for?" said Cris furiously. Peeves puffed out his cheeks, blew hard, and zoomed backward out of the room, cackling.**

**Cris fumbled for her alarm clock and looked at it. It was half past four. Cursing Peeves, she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but it was very difficult, now that she was awake, to ignore the sounds of the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. In a few hours she would be out on the Quidditch field, battling through that gale. Finally, she gave up any thought of more sleep, got up, dressed, picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand, and walked quietly out of the dormitory.**

**As Cris opened the door, something brushed against her leg. She bent down just in time to grab Crookshanks by the end of his bushy tail and drag him outside.**

**"You know, I reckon Ron was right about you," Cris told Crookshanks suspiciously. "There are plenty of mice around this place — go and chase them. Go on," she added, nudging Crookshanks down the spiral staircase with her foot. "Leave Scabbers alone." **

"Sorry, Sirius." Cris said.

"You didn't know pup, it's alright." Sirius said with a smile. Robin smiled and leaned over Scarlett to give him a kiss.

"You'll be a great father." Robin whispered.

**The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. Cris knew better than to think the match would be cancelled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. **

"This one should have." Remus said.

"Why?" Prongs asked, rain was nothing during a Quidditch match.

"You'll see dad." Cris said.

**Nevertheless, she was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to her in the corridor; Diggory was a handsome fifth year and a lot bigger than Cris. Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course.**

**Cris whiled away the hours until dawn in front of the fire, getting up every now and then to stop Crookshanks from sneaking up the boys' staircase again. **

"If I had known I wouldn't have done that." Cris said.

"It'll be okay Bambi." George said.

**At long last Cris thought it must be time for breakfast, so she headed through the portrait hole alone.**

**"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.**

**"Oh, shut up," Cris yawned.**

**She revived a bit over a large bowl of porridge, and by the time she'd started on toast, the rest of the team had turned up.**

**"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.**

**"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."**

"It's not only rain though." Ginny said.

"No, there's lightning, wind and of course the other team." Padfoot said.

"That's not exactly what I mean." Ginny said.

**But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Just before she entered the locker room, Cris saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at her from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.**

**The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him. **

"Wow, he must be nervous." Bill said with a laugh.

**The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Rain was splattering over Cris' glasses. How on earth was she going to see the Snitch in this?**

**The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled **

"Well at least he's friendly," Lily said.

"That he was," Cris said sadly.

**at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. **

**Cris couldn't help but notice that Cedric was really very handsome. He smiled at Cris as the teams faced each other, and she felt a slight lurch in the region of her stomach that she didn't think had anything to do with nerves.**

"I didn't know that there was someone else before dad and papa mom." James said.

"Well of course, even though it was only for a short time." Cris said sadly.

"Oh,"

**Cris saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount Your brooms." She pulled her right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over her Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — they were off.**

**Cris rose fast, but her Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind. She held it as steady as she could and turned, squinting into the rain.**

**Within five minutes Cris was soaked to her skin and frozen, hardly able to see her teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. She flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. She couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice Cris came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; her vision was so clouded by the rain on her glasses she hadn't seen them coming.**

"Thank god I got the contacts." Cris said.

"So do we," James, Lily J and Al said.

"No fair." Prongs said with a pout.

**She lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold her broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Cris nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, she could hardly tell them apart…**

**With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Cris could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing her to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.**

**"I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here —"**

**They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Cris took off her glasses and wiped them hurriedly on her robes.**

**"What's the score?"**

**"We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."**

**"I've got no chance with these on," Cris said exasperatedly, waving her glasses.**

"I forgot the charm," Cris said sheepishly.

"It's okay, I saved the day." Hermione said.

"That you did," Cris said with a smile.

"You rhymed!" they twins said with a smile.

"That's been known to happen." Hermione said.

**At that very moment, Hermione appeared at her shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.**

**"I've had an idea, Cris! Give me your glasses, quick!"**

**She handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"**

**"There!" she said, handing them back to Cris. "They'll repel water!"**

**Wood looked as though he could have kissed her. **

Ron was glaring furiously at the book which made a lot of people chuckle.

**"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"**

**Hermione's spell had done the trick. Cris was still numb with cold, still wetter than she'd ever been in her life, but she could see. Full of fresh determination, she urged her broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction…**

**There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Cris needed to get the Snitch quickly —**

**She turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Cris saw something that distracted her completely, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats. **

"Sorry, I just wanted to see the game." Sirius said.

"You nearly made me fall of." Cris said in a mock glare.

"If it makes you feel any better you fly as good if not better than your dad." Sirius said.

"That's my girl." Prongs said with a proud smile.

"And dad and papa said that we got our flying from mum." Lily J said.

"So that means you get the pranking from us." Fred said.

"Well considering our dads are pranksters, and so is our grandfather, it was kind of envitable." Al said.

**Cris' numb hands slipped on the broom handle and her Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking her sodden fringe out of her eyes, she squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished.**

**"Cris!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "Cris, behind you!"**

**Cris looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them…**

**With a jolt of panic, Cris threw herself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.**

**"Come on!" she growled at her Nimbus as the rain whipped her face. "Faster!"**

"Come on you can do it." Prongs said egging on nearly bouncing in his seat.

"You do realize that this has already happened, right?" Cris asked.

**But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Cris had gone suddenly deaf — what was going on? **

"What in the world?" Moony asked.

"That's not supposed to happen." Lily said.

**And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over her, inside her, just as she became aware of something moving on the field below…**

**Before she'd had time to think, Cris had taken her eyes off the Snitch and looked down.**

**At least a hundred Dementors, **

"Dear Merlin," Lily said bringing her hands to her mouth.

"How high were you?" Prongs asked pale.

"She was about 300 feet." McGonagall said.

Lily whimpered into Prongs' shoulder and Al read on apprehensibly.

**their hidden faces pointing up at her, were standing beneath her. It was as though freezing water were rising in her chest, cutting at her insides. And then she heard it again… Someone was screaming, screaming inside her head… a woman…**

"But there wasn't a woman." Draco said.

"You'll find out who I heard." Cris mumbled.

**"Not Cris, not Cris, please not Cris!"**

"What?" everyone asked. Cris pulled her legs up and whimpered into George's chest.

**"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…"**

"Is this when…?" Mrs. Weasley asked her face pale.

"What?" the past marauders asked. Nobody answered so Al read on.

**"Not Cris, please no, take me, kill me instead —"**

"It's Lily," Sirius said his eyes shut.

"You're hearing my dying moment aren't you?" Lily asked. Cris nodded and the twins hugged her closely.

**Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Cris' brain… What was she doing? Why was she flying? She needed to help her… She was going to die… She was going to be murdered…**

**She was falling, falling through the icy mist.**

**"Not Cris! Please… have mercy… have mercy…"**

"That isn't in his vocabulary." Cris mumbled.

"I really don't like that you had to remember that." Lily said.

**A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Cris knew no more.**

"That was one of the scariest things I think I've seen so far." Hermione said.

"We tried to get to you but you were already on the ground." George said.

"We reacted too late." Fred said. Cris kissed both of them.

"I'm glad I will always have you two try and save me." Cris said with a smile.

**"Lucky the ground was so soft."**

**"I thought she was dead for sure."**

**"But she didn't even break her glasses."**

"Who was saying that?" Cris asked.

"Our three brilliant chasers." Fred said.

**Cris could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. She didn't have a clue where she was, or how she'd got there, or what she'd been doing before she got there. All she knew was that every inch of her was aching as though it had been beaten. **

"Those blasted Dursley's." Sirius growled.

**"She looks a bit peaky." She heard Ron say. **

**"Peaky! What do you expect she fell over a hundred feet!" said Fred**

**"Yeah, come on, Ron let's walk you of the Astronomy tower," said George**

**"And see what you look like." They said together. **

**"Probably, a right sight better than he normally does," Cris croaked**

"You scared the hell out me." Hermione said.

"You could have made some noise to let us know that you're awake." Ron said.

"I live to amuse people." Cris said.

"I find it amusing that she still said that after a fall like that." Remus said.

**smiling, there were some nervous laughs. **

**Cris' eyes snapped open. She was lying in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around her bed. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.**

**"Cris!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath, the mud. "How're you feeling?"**

**"Oh, brilliant" said Cris sarcastically.**

**It was as though Cris' memory was on fast forward. The lightning… the Grim… the Snitch… and the Dementors…**

**"What happened?" she said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.**

**"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — three hundred feet?"**

**"We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking.**

**Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot.**

**"But the match,"**

"Really? After all of that you're worried about the match?" Bill asked.

"Well yeah." Cris said.

"You were channeling your father again there." Remus said.

**said Cris. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"**

**No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Cris like a stone.**

**"We didn't — lose?"**

**"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he was as bad as us asking if you were ok. **

"Did the two of you date?" Lily asked.

"We went on one date but then we decided to just be friends." Cris said shakily.

**Screaming for Madam Pomfrey, when she finally said you'd be fine, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."**

**"Where is Wood?" said Cris, suddenly realizing he wasn't there.**

**"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself." **

"That wasn't your fault just the stupid dementors who decided to come onto the grounds.

**Cris put her face to her knees, her hands gripping her hair which turned a dark blue in her grief. Fred grabbed her shoulder and shook it roughly. **

"The first loss is always rough." Prongs said. Cris smiled sadly and Al continued reading.

**"C'mon, Cris, you've never missed the Snitch before."**

**"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.**

**"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points."**

**"Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…"**

**"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.**

**"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"**

**"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff…"**

**"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —"**

**Cris lay there, not saying a word. They had lost… for the first time ever, she had lost a Quidditch match.**

**After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave her in peace.**

**"We'll come and see you later," Fred told her. "Don't beat yourself up Cris, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."**

**The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Cris' bed.**

**"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. **

"I bet," Kingsley said.

"It's was scary, I never want to see him that mad again." Hermione said.

"I'm grateful that I've never seen him like that." Padfoot said.

"Trust us, you don't want to." Ron said.

**"I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away… He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him —"**

**"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were…" **

"We really thought you were dead." Ron said.

"So did I." Sirius said, "I was standing just on the outskirts of the forest, it really made my heart stop."

"Blame the Dementors then." Cris said.

**His voice faded, but Cris hardly noticed. She was thinking about what the Dementors had done to her… about the screaming voice. She looked up and saw Ron and Hermione looking at her so anxiously that she quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say.**

**"Did someone get my Nimbus?"**

**Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other.**

**"Er —"**

**"What?" said Cris, looking from one to the other.**

**"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.**

**"And?"**

**"And it hit — it hit — oh, Cris — it hit the Whomping Willow."**

"I'm sorry," Moony said.

"I've already told Remus that it wasn't his fault so now I'll tell you, it is not your fault." Cris said.

**Cris' insides lurched. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds.**

**"And?" she said, dreading the answer.**

**"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit."**

**"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.**

**Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Cris' faithful, finally beaten broomstick.**

"That sucks." Prongs said sadly.

"Now, you need a new broom." Padfoot said.

"I did," Cris said smiling at Sirius who winked back at her.

"That's the chapter." Al said. "Here Auntie 'Mione."

Hermione took it and but stopped when Dumbledore raised his hand.

"I believe that it is time to go to bed." Dumbledore said. Everyone nodded and got up to go to bed. Cris had told the twins to once again meet her in the room they had created.

**Author's note:**

**Should I bring in Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Draco and Gwen's kids? Review with yes or no.**


	12. Break 2

Cris lay awake in bed listening to the girls around her. When she thought it would be a good time she snuck out and into the room she created for her and her boys. When she walked in the twins were already there in their pajama bottoms.

"What are you two talking about?" Cris asked.

"Lily J, James and Al." Fred said.

"They do seem like really great kids." Cris said with a smile.

"We did a good job." George said.

"So why didn't you tell us about the little tattoo you got?" Fred asked. He placed a hand on my shoulder fingering the tattoo there.

"I was going to but I didn't know how to say it." Cris said sheepishly.

"It's okay, we understand." George said.

"I love you both," Cris said kissing the both of them.

"And we love you,"

"So what do you want to do?"

"Well I was just thinking that I just wanted to sleep with the both of you." Cris said.

"I think that we can do that," Fred said. Cris smiled and they climbed into bed with them. She was in the middle with her head on George's chest and Fred wrapped against her from behind. Cris slept peaceful that night breathing in their scents.

*In the morning-Girl's room*

Lily got up as Robin was racing to the bathroom. She looked around the room to see Cris' bed empty as if it hadn't been slept in. Lily went over to wake up Hermione and Ginny and Lily J.

"What is it grandma?" Lily J asked groggily.

"Do you know where Cris is?" Lily asked.

"Sometimes when she can't sleep she goes for some hot chocolate." Hermione said.

"We'll come with you to check." Ginny said.

"Thank you." Lily said.

Once they were dressed they walked out to find the room Cris free. Lily was now beginning to fret. Soon Bill and Charlie followed by Sirius and Remus came out looking around the room too.

"You guys haven't seen Fred and George, have you?" Bill asked.

"No, have you seen Cris?" Hermione asked.

"No," Sirius said suddenly worried. They looked around to see another door; they looked at each other and went for the door.

"You don't think?" Bill asked.

"For the twins sake they better not have." Sirius and Remus growled. They opened the door and the girls were all gushing at the sight. Cris was lying on her side with her head buried in the neck of one of the twins and the other was against her back.

"Was a camera when we need one?" Bill asked. Soon the rest of the group was standing behind them.

"What are you guys looking at?" Prongs asked.

"Come take a look Prongsie," Sirius said with a smile. Prongs scowled playfully before he looked into the room with the rest of the marauders and the rest of the Weasley's.

"We so need a camera." Padfoot said with a laugh.

"That's so adorable." Mrs. Weasley said with a wide smile. Sirius got a camera and clicked a picture. The clicking of the camera woke Cris up and she looked at the groggily.

"Is it time to get up?" Cris asked.

"Yeah, I'm about to start breakfast." Mrs. Weasley said. Cris nodded and turned back to the twins, which caused her to blush because she could feel something touching her inner thigh through her pajamas.

"I'll get them up if you could leave." Cris said. They nodded and left the room. Cris sighed in relief and shook the twins awake.

"Is it breakfast time?" George asked.

"Yes, it's time to get up." Cris said.

"Alright," Fred said then he realized that he had a slight problem and blushed brightly.

"I'll meet the two of you out there." Fred said.

"Got a little there Freddie?" George said with a laugh.

"Shut it," Fred said with a bright blush.

"Alright, I'll meet the two of you out there." Cris said with a giggle. She kissed them both and slipped out and into the girl's room to take a shower and get dressed. When she came out breakfast was done and she sat down to eat. After breakfast they went back into the sitting room to continue reading.


	13. Chapter 10: The Marauder's Map

Hermione picked up the book and opened it to the next chapter, **"Chapter 10: The Marauder's Map," **Hermione read.

"What's the Marauder's map?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"It's something we created when we were in school." Robin said.

"You're one too?" George asked.

"Yes, I'm Kit." Robin said with a smile.

"So you turn into a fox." Hermione said.

"Yes," Robin said.

**Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Cris in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. She didn't argue or complain, but she wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. She knew she was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Cris couldn't help it; she felt as though she'd lost one of her best friends. **

"I would feel the same way sweetheart." Prongs said.

"But now you need a new broom." Padfoot said.

"Don't worry; I got a pretty good one." Cris said with a smile thinking of her Firebolt.

"What did you get?" Prongs asked excitedly.

"I don't get until Christmas but you will have to wait for it." Cris said with a smile.

"Your mean." Prongs said.

**She had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering her up. Hagrid sent her a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a get-well card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Cris kept it shut under her bowl of fruit. **

"I didn't mean for it to do that." Ginny said.

"I know; I found it funny too." Cris said. Ginny mock glared at her which made her laugh loudly.

**The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Cris (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame her in the slightest. Ron and Hermione left Cris' bedside only at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make Cris feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling her.**

**She hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron and Hermione,**

"Why not?" Luna asked.

"Because I knew how they would react." Cris said.

"You know us well then." Ron said.

"We've been friends for three years at this point so duh." Cris said.

**because she knew Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff. **

"Yep, that's about right." Ginny said with a giggle.

**The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents;**

"That's just a coincidence." Hermione said.

"Exactly," Lily said.

"Are you forgetting that it was me both times?" Sirius asked.

"Are you trying to kill my daughter?" Prongs asked.

"No, I was just getting a glimpse of my goddaughter; I couldn't believe that she was all grown up." Sirius said.

"Dad, you said the same thing to me when I started school with James and Lily J and Haley." Scarlett said.

"Oh dear Merlin, the four of you are in the same year?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes," Scar, James and Lily J said.

"A group of four, that brings back memories." Sirius said with a smile.

"I'm retired right?" McGonagall asked.

"Well no, you're the headmistress; Uncle Neville is the head of Gryffindor now." Lily J said.

"I'm a teacher?" Neville asked.

"Yep, Herbology." Al said.

"Can I continue now?" Hermione asked. Everyone nodded and went back to reading.

**the first time, she had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus;**

"It wouldn't have hit you." Remus said.

"I didn't know that." Cris said sheepishly.

**the second, fallen fifty feet from her broomstick. Was the Grim going to haunt her until she actually died? Was she going to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder for the beast?**

"Well, I will definitely be there for you until I die." Sirius said. Cris smiled at her godfather.

**And then there were the Dementors. Cris felt sick and humiliated every time she thought of them. Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one. No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents. **

"But you haven't heard me yet." Prongs said.

"But I will." Cris said.

"You go near another one?" Lily asked horrified.

"Only because I was learning to defend myself from them." Cris said.

"Oh, well I guess that's a good thing." Prongs said.

**Because Cris knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while she lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. When the Dementors approached her, she heard the last moments of her mother's life, her attempts to protect her, Cris, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her… **

"You know, maybe I should have just gone to Professor Dumbledore and explained it to him." Sirius said.

"Now you think of it." Remus said shaking his head with a smile.

**Cris dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake to dwell again on her mother's voice.**

**It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where she was forced to think about other things, even if she had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Cris falling off her broom. **

"Why don't you try it sometime?" George said.

"No thank you, I'd rather not." Draco said.

**Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.**

"It was so worth it." Ron said.

"Seriously, why are you acting like that? Dementors effect people in different ways. Cris just has an extreme reaction because she witnessed her parents' death." Robin said.

**"If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione."**

**Hermione peered around the classroom door.**

**"****It's okay!"**

**Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked like he had a bad transformation. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill.**

**"****It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"**

**"****We don't know anything about werewolves —"**

**"— ****two rolls of parchment!"**

**"****Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly. **

"You were hoping to cover them later, weren't you dad?" Teddy asked.

"Yeah, but I knew why Severus did it; yet two of them figured it out and were okay with it." Remus said.

"Exactly, we didn't care." Hermione said.

**The babble broke out again.**

**"****Yes, but he said we were really behind —"**

**"— ****he wouldn't listen —"**

**"— ****two rolls of parchment!"**

**Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.**

**"****Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."**

**"****Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"**

**Cris was about to nod in agreement but stopped.**

"That is so like Hermione." Ginny said with a laugh.

"You should have told me you did it too." Hermione said.

"I would have failed it. All I did in mine was argue the fact that Werewolves are still human, that they didn't ask to become werewolves and that with the aid of the Wolfsbane potion they are harmless." Cris said.

"I would have given it a ten." Remus said with a smile.

"She didn't exactly do the assignment Lupin; I would have failed her like she said." Snape said.

"Which is why you and I differ in teaching methods, she gave a clever response to where most will say they would kill me with a silver bullet." Remus said.

"Does that actually work?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know about a bullet but silver is painful." Remus and Moony said.

"I can't wear silver either," Teddy said. Remus and Moony looked sadly at their son who just smiled warmly at him.

**They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking.**

**"****Lures travelers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead — people follow the light — then —" The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.**

**When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Cris among them, but —**

**"Wait a moment, Cris," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."**

"Why?" Padfoot asked.

"Probably about the Quidditch game." Moony said.

**Cris doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth.**

**"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"**

**"No," said Cris. "The tree smashed it to bits."**

**Lupin sighed.**

**"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts.**

"We understand why, but really it's not your fault it's Greyback's fault." Cris said.

"That certainly is a good way of thinking about it." Robin said rubbing her extended stomach with a smile.

**People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."**

**"Did you hear about the Dementors too?" said Cris with difficulty.**

**Lupin looked at her quickly.**

**"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time… furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds… I suppose they were the reason you fell?"**

**"Yes," said Cris. He hesitated, and then the question she had to ask burst from her before she could stop himself. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just —?"**

**"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Cris' mind. "The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have." **

"You are nowhere near weak Cris." Lily said.

"Yeah, mum, you really powerful." Al said.

"I am?" Cris asked looking at them wide eyed.

"Yep, don't doubt yourself." Remus said with a smile.

**A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face.**

**"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling; every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Cris, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."**

**"When they get near me —" Cris stared at Lupin's desk, her throat tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."**

**Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Cris' shoulder, but thought better of it. **

"I really wanted to wrap you in a hug, but I didn't know how you would feel about it." Remus said.

"I would have accepted it, even though I didn't know you I felt as if I could tell you anything." Cris said. Remus smiled gratefully at the black haired girl.

"What about me?" Sirius asked in a hurtful tone.

"You too Siri," Cris said with a laugh.

**There was a moment's silence, then —**

**"Why did they have to come to the match?" said Cris bitterly.**

**"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up… I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement… emotions running high… it was their idea of a feast." **

"Couldn't you have cleaned that up a bit?" Lily asked.

"There was no way to Lils, besides, your daughter is very strong and doesn't really like that we keep things from her." Remus said.

"Got that right," Cris said.

"But it's for your safety." Mrs. Weasley said.

"No offense Mrs. Weasley, but if it's about me then I would like to be told rather than kept in the dark about it." Cris said.

"Well if that's how you feel, Cris, you're godfather is the escaped mass murderer Sirius Black." Tonks deadpanned.

"What?!" Cris said sarcastically. This caused the group to bust out laughing; it took about ten minutes to calm down before Hermione continued reading.

**"Azkaban must be terrible," Cris muttered. Lupin nodded grimly.**

**"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheery thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."**

"How on earth did you stay sane?" Prongs asked.

"Well we've always said he was insane in school." Remus said.

"So you're saying Azkaban made me sane?" Sirius said with a raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Remus, Moony, Robin, and Prongs said.

"Fine, I see how it is." Sirius said with a pout.

**"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Cris said slowly. "He got away…"**

**Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.**

**"Yes," he said, straightening up, **

**"You made that Dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly.**

**"There are — certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."**

**"What defenses?" said Cris at once. "Can you teach me?"**

**"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Cris — quite the contrary…" **

"You taught me well enough." Cris said with a smile.

"What did you teach her Moony?" Prongs asked with a smile.

"Something useful." Remus said.

**"But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them —"**

"Really, that was your excuse for it?" Ginny asked amused.

"Yeah," Cris said with a laugh.

"You need to get your priorities straight." Lily said with a sigh.

**Lupin looked into Cris' determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well… all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."**

"You don't choose it Dad," Teddy said.

"I know, son." Remus said with a smile.

**What with the promise of anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, the thought that she might never have to hear her mother's death again, and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November, Cris' mood took a definite upturn. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, **

Hermione, Lily, Robin and Mrs. Weasley rolled their eyes while the rest of the group besides of the teachers cheered.

**although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December. Cris saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances.**

"Good, no need to fall of your broom again." Lily said.

"What are you riding before you get the new broom?" Prongs asked.

"One of the Shooting Stars," Cris said, "It wasn't bad, just wasn't the same as my nimbus."

"It will always be your first broom." Padfoot said.

**Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, **

"Nobody really could at this point." Ginny said.

"He was acting like a major prat at this point." Ron said.

"I was happy that I wasn't going to be spending anytime by myself this Christmas." Cris said.

"And you won't from now on." Mrs. Weasley vowed.

**and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Cris wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep her company, and she was very grateful.**

"You're very welcome," Ron and Hermione said. Cris smiled grateful over at her two best friends.

"So that's why I've never see you during the holidays." Gwen said.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to go back to the Dursley's but during the summer." Cris said.

"I can understand that." Gwen said.

**To everyone's delight except Cris', there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.**

**"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"**

"Aren't your parents dentists?" Lily asked.

"They are?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, why?" Hermione asked.

"I just have had bad experience with them." Gwen said.

"I find the sweets kind of ironic." Lily said.

"That's why I bought them." Hermione said.

**Resigned to the fact that she would be the only third year staying behind again, Cris borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. She had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; she definitely needed a new broom of her own.**

"Yes, because you're the seeker." Prongs said.

"Don't worry James, I took care of it." Sirius said.

"So it was from you." McGonagall said.

"Of course, I missed twelve years of birthdays after all." Sirius said.

"What kind of broom did you send her?" Lily asked.

"Knowing Sirius, the best." Prongs said with a sort of glee in his eyes.

**On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Cris bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.**

**"Psst — Cris!"**

**She turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at her from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch. **

"What are you doing?" Bill asked.

"Helping our girl out." They said.

"Your girl, hmmm?" Remus asked. The twins blushed slightly but didn't say anything else.

**"What are you doing?" said Cris curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"**

**"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here…" **

"You two better be keeping your hands to yourself." Prongs said.

"Fat chance," James, Lily J, Al and Teddy said.

"James, you know that the only reason those three have so many kids is because they didn't keep their hands off her." Lily said.

"I know," Prongs said with a sad sigh.

**He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Cris followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Cris.**

**"Early Christmas present for you, Cris," he said.**

**Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.**

"Oh, it has something written on it." Prongs said.

"Ah, it's a magical parchment." Mr. Weasley said.

"Yes, yes it is." The marauders, the twins, and the trio said.

**Cris, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it.**

**"What's that supposed to be?"**

**"This, Cris, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.**

**"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."**

**"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."**

**"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Cris.**

"That is actually your birth right," Prongs said.

"And mine too!" Teddy, Keiran and Scarlett said.

"Yep did Cris give it to you guys?" Padfoot asked.

"She did, KJ and Teddy shared it at school and James, Lily J, Haley and I share it this year, but Al burrows it sometimes when he, Percy and Dom go out." Scarlett said.

"My son, who I named after Percy is a prankster?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, and so is Uncle Bill's kids." Lily J said. Bill looked over at Victoire and raised an eyebrow.

"What, we may be Veela but we do have fun." Victoire said.

"I can vouch for that." Keiran said.

"And how do you know that?" Bill asked glaring and Keiran.

"Some of the dates we went on." Keiran said with a shrug.

"Oh," Bill said.

"Wait a minute back up, your mum is a Veela?" Padfoot asked.

"Well part, mum is about one-eighth so ours is one-sixteenth." Victoire said.

"Cool, so all of you have blonde hair?" Prongs asked.

"No, Dom has the red and Louis has blonde as well with a kind of red tinge to it. It makes the girls coo over him." Al said.

"Grandma says that he looks just like you just blonde." Victoire said.

"Do you have pictures?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"We'll show you them tonight, alright Grandma?" Lily J asked. Mrs. Weasley nodded happily and Hermione continued reading.

**"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Cris had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."**

**"Well… when we were in our first year, Cris — young, carefree, and innocent —"**

"I doubt the two of you were ever innocent and carefree." Ginny said.

"Well they were until my brothers got to them." Mrs. Weasley said with a smile.

"That sounds like Fabian and Gideon." Prongs said.

"Don't worry Molly, we'll be able to change all this and Fab and Gid we'll be alive." Moony said. Mrs. Weasley went over and gave him a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you Remus." She whispered in his ear.

**Cris snorted. She doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.**

"You think like Cris, Gin." Neville said.

"I don't know whether or not that's good thing." Ginny said.

"Oi!" Cris said.

**" — well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."**

**"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason —"**

**"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual —"**

**"— detention —"**

**"— disembowelment —" **

"That sounds like Filch." Charlie said.

"You would know," Mrs. Weasley said.

"You can't spend time at Hogwarts without getting into trouble at least once." Bill said.

"I didn't get into trouble." Percy said.

"That's because you're a goody two-shoes." Ginny said.

"Ginevra, be nice!" Mrs. Weasley said.

**"— and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."**

"How did he get it anyway?" Prongs asked.

"We literally did it on purpose." Remus said.

"We intentionally got caught and he confiscated it from us." Sirius said.

"That's a brilliant plan." Padfoot said.

"Who had it?" Moony asked.

"It was Wormtail…" Sirius said quietly.

"Good old Wormy," Prongs said.

"You won't think that for long," Cris mumbled.

**"Don't tell me —" said Cris, starting to grin.**

**"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb; I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — this."**

"Brilliant!" the marauders exclaimed.

**"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it.**

"Thank Merlin for that." Prongs said.

"I don't think we would be that stupid to make the password that obvious, besides, it needs magic." Padfoot said.

"And as Filch is a squib it won't open for him." Moony said.

"You guys are brilliant." Charlie said. All the marauders stood up and bowed which made their children and grandchildren laugh.

**He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."**

**"And you know how to work it?"**

**"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."**

"I highly doubt that." Mrs. Weasley said.

**"You're winding me up," said Cris, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment, excitement building in her stomach.**

**"Oh, are we?" said George.**

**He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." **

"Which one of you made the password?" Tonks asked with a smile.

"Me!" Prongs and Padfoot said at the same time.

"That doesn't surprise me at all." Lily said.

**And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:**

**Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Mmes. Kit**

**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present **

**THE MARAUDER'S MAP**

"That explains the title of the chapter." Tonks said.

"We already talked about it." Kingsley pointed out.

"Oh yeah," Tonks said sheepishly blushing brightly.

'She is so adorable when she blushes.' Remus thought, 'Wait what am I thinking? She's so much younger than me and I'm dangerous.'

Lily J who was sitting next to him smiled at him and pointed at Teddy, he smiled sheepishly back at her, he forgot about Teddy for a minute.

**It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. **

"You four made that?" McGonagall asked amazed. They nodded and McGonagall didn't know what to say.

"May we see this map of yours?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well the thing is; we don't have it on us." Prongs said.

"What about you Miss Potter or you Mr. Potter-Wesley?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well I don't." Cris said.

"I think I left it with Haley since her, Xan, Jas and Rora were staying at Hogwarts since Lee and Alicia are away for their anniversary." James said.

"That is alright, maybe some other time." Dumbledore said. Without anyone noticing Al leaned into James to whisper to him.

"You know damn well that you have it with you James." Al whispered.

"I know Rem, but I didn't want the risk of getting it taken away." James whispered back.

"I can see that." Al whispered.

**Astounded, Cris bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Cris' eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, she noticed something else.**

**This map showed a set of passages she had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead —**

**"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" — **

"Ah man, he found another one." Sirius said with a pout.

"It was bound to happen." Robin and Remus said.

**he pointed them out — "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. **

"That one was really cool too." Padfoot said with a whine.

"I wonder how it collapsed." Prongs said.

"Well, those passages were there when the castle was built so they are old and were bound to collapse sometime." Moony said.

**And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. **

"That one was built for a reason." Remus said.

"Why?" Fred asked.

"Well Mischief, if you would be patient it will tell you about the same time Sirius proves himself innocent." Cris said.

"Oh alright." George said.

**But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."**

**"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Kit," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much." **

"Glad that we could be of assistant to fellow pranksters." Padfoot said.

"You are indeed worthy men to be with my daughter." Prongs said raising his glass of water to his future son-in-laws. They beamed at him, glad that they have his approval.

**"Noble men and woman, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.**

**"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it —"**

**"— or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.**

**"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!'**

"Very clever, dear cousin." Tonks said.

"Thank you my dear Dora," Sirius said.

"You're lucky that you're my cousin." Tonks said.

"I like Dora," Remus said quietly. But Tonks heard as well as Teddy that it made Tonks blush.

**And it'll go blank."**

**"So, young Cris," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy,**

"Oi," Fred said looking hurt.

"I'm sorry love, I didn't mean to." Cris said soothingly.

"It's okay; I forgive you, this time." Fred said.

**"mind you behave yourself."**

"What is your definition of behave?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"To cause as much trouble that you can't get into trouble for it." George said.

"That seems about right." Mrs. Weasley said.

**"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.**

"You didn't go, did you?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, this is my daughter we're talking about, of course she's going to go." Prongs said.

"Of course, what was I thinking?" Sirius asked.

"That she would be worried about herself and not go sneaking around." Lily said.

"Yep, that's what I told her." Remus said.

"I forgot that you did, it kind of funny." Cris said.

**They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.**

**Cris stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. She watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know… she wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all…**

**But even as she stood there, flooded with excitement, something Cris had once heard Mr. Weasley say came floating out of her memory.**

**Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain. **

"Good you remembered." Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

"Of course I did." Cris said.

"It's a good thing it doesn't think for itself then." Moony said.

"Nope, just a few complicated spells to make it so those who try and read it without the password get insulted." Sirius said. Cris and Remus smiled in memory about what it said to Snape while Snape was sneering at them.

**This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against… Aids for Magical Mischief Makers… but then, Cris reasoned, she only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though she wanted to steal anything or attack anyone… and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening…**

**Cris traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with her finger.**

**Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, she rolled up the map, stuffed it inside her robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. She opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, she edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one-eyed witch.**

**What did she have to do? She pulled out the map again and saw to her astonishment, that a new ink figure had appeared upon it, labeled Cristal Potter'. This figure was standing exactly where the real Cris was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor. Cris watched carefully. Her little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with her minute wand. Cris quickly took out her real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. She looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to her figure. The word inside said, 'Dissendium.'**

"How long did it take you to figure it out?" Tonks asked.

"It took a while." Moony said.

"But how long?" Kingsley asked.

"We finally had the map finished in fifth year where we were able to work out all the kinks." Remus said.

"Sweet," Charlie said.

"Don't you wish we had it?" Tonks asked her best friend.

"Yeah, it would have been very useful." Charlie said.

**"Dissendium!" Cris whispered, tapping the stone witch again.**

**At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. **

"It depends on who is standing there." Padfoot said.

"All of us could fit through there except for Pete." Prongs said.

"That doesn't surprise me," Cris muttered under her breath.

**Cris glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted herself into the hole headfirst, and pushed herself forward.**

**She slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. She stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. She held up her wand, muttered, "Lumos!" and saw that she was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. She raised the map, tapped it with the tip of her wand, and muttered, "Mischief managed!" The map went blank at once. She folded it carefully, tucked it inside her robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, she set off. She felt like Alice going into Wonderland in that tunnel, she just hoped that the Cheshire cat wasn't on the other in.**

Everyone started laughing though most of them had no idea who this Alice person was.

"What is Wonderland?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"It's a children story, it's about a young girl who falls into a rabbit hole and it opens up to a new world full of all these wonderful things." Gwen said.

"Sounds interesting." Bill said.

"It's a weird story, that's for sure." Hermione said.

**The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Cris hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding her wand out in front of her.**

**It took ages, but Cris had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain her. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Cris sped up, her face hot, her feet very cold. **

**Ten minutes later, she came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above her. Careful not to make any noise, Cris began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, she lost count as she climbed; watching her feet… then, without warning, her head hit something hard.**

"Yeah, you have to watch your head in that passage." Prongs said. Padfoot was rubbing his head at the reminder of the pain he felt.

**It seemed to be a trapdoor. Cris stood there, massaging the top of her head, listening. She couldn't hear any sounds above her. Very slowly, she pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.**

**She was in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Cris climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it — it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Cris crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now she could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door. **

"Now you're in Honeydukes." George said.

"What's the first thing you're going to do?" Bill asked.

"Scare someone." Cris said with a mischievous smile.

"Who do you sneak up on?" Padfoot asked.

"I think I know who." Remus said with a smile to Ron and Hermione.

**Wondering what she ought to do, she suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.**

**"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out —" said a woman's voice.**

**A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Cris leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. She heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall. She might not get another chance —**

"You sneaky little devil." Sirius said with a smile.

"Well the hat did say I would do well in Slytherin." Cris said.

"But you belong in Gryffindor." Prongs said.

"That I do," Cris said.

**Quickly and silently, Cris dodged out from her hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, she saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. Cris reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found herself behind the counter of Honeydukes — she ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up.**

**Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Cris. She edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as she imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Cris was now.**

"He would be in heaven but sadly you need wizard money to get it." Ron said.

"Would you buy him some if he asked?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Cris said.

**There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were 'Special Effects' — sweets: Drooble's Best Blowing Gum **

"Those are mum's favorites." Neville said. Ginny smiled sadly at him and hugged him tight.

"We're going to be changing this; they are going to be sane as ever when we're done with this." Ginny said.

"Thanks Gin," Neville said.

**(which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ('breathe fire for your friends!'), Ice Mice ('hear your teeth chatter and squeak!'), peppermint creams shaped like toads ('hop realistically in the stomach!'), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.**

"You're torturing us Cris," Ron and both Sirius' said.

"Sorry," Cris said with a smile.

"I'm sure you are," Sirius said.

"Or course I am, why would I be messing with you guys?" Cris asked.

"Because you are like your mother that way." Remus said. Cris and Lily smiled and Hermione continued.

**Cris squeezed herself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (UNUSUAL TASTES). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Cris sneaked up behind them.**

"**Ugh, no, Cris won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.**

"**How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.**

"**Definitely not," said Cris.**

**Ron nearly dropped the jar. **

"You scared the crap of me." Ron said.

"I did mean to do that; you two should have seen your faces." Cris said.

"I bet it was funny," Sirius said.

"It was," Cris said.

**"Cris!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you —?"**

**"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"**

"Oh Ron," Hermione said.

"I know, I know." Ron said.

"Besides, she's too young to learn to Apparate." Lily said.

**"'Course I haven't," said Cris. She dropped her voice so that none of the sixth years could hear her and told them all about the Marauder's Map.**

**"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!" **

"But I'm the daughter of a marauder so it's rightfully mine." Cris said.

"I know, but we didn't know that at the time." Ron said.

"True," Cris said.

**"But Cris isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "She's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Cris?"**

"No don't!" the marauders cried.

**"No, I'm not!" said Cris.**

**"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"**

**"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it! And they would ask who made, which I have no idea how," but these names sound familiar, she thought to herself.**

"So you still haven't figured it out?" Sirius asked.

"No, not really." Cris said.

**"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!" **

"That wouldn't help, I know all the passages." Sirius said. " And I wasn't using the passages."

**"He can't be getting in through a passage," said Cris quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar — so unless he knew it was there —"**

"Which I do," Sirius said.

"But you were hiding in the forest." Robin said.

"Yeah, eating rabbits and birds when I could." Sirius said.

"Wow, you were really determined." Prongs said.

"Hey, I can be when I want to." Padfoot said.

"Sure keep telling yourself that." Moony said. Sirius and Padfoot sat there pouting so Hermione continued.

**Cris hesitated. What if Black did know the passage was there? Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door.**

**BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

**Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall.**

**Happy Christmas! **

"Only the ministry would be stupid enough to say happy Christmas after something like that." Robin said.

"Is the ministry really that bad now?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Cris said.

**"See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"**

**"Yes, but — but —" Heroine seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, Cris still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. She hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, she'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"**

**"He'd have a job spotting Cris in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. "Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Cris deserves a break."**

"**Besides, I can always change my hair; I doubt that he knows about that." Cris said, she hoped that he didn't know about the slight metamorphmagus power.**

"You, know, I kind of did forget about it until I saw you and it flashed that bright red." Sirius said with a laugh. Cris smiled as he was looking much healthier now than months ago.

**Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.**

**"Are you going to report me?" Cris asked her, grinning.**

**"Oh — of course not — but honestly, Cris —"**

**"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Cris?" said Ron, grabbing her and leading her over to their barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick."**

"I remember that." Fred said with a grimace.

"As well you should, I still can't believe that you did that." Mrs. Weasley said.

**Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. "Reckon Fred'd take a bite of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?" **

"No, I'm not that thick, though Percy might fall for it though." Fred said.

"Hey!" Percy said.

**When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.**

**Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. **

"It always did remind me of a Christmas card too." Lily said.

**Cris shivered; unlike the other two, she didn't have her cloak. They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.**

"You should have thought ahead dear." Lily said.

"I know, I was just too excited." Cris said.

"That's understandable." Kingsley said.

**"That's the post office —"**

**"Zonko's is up there —"**

**"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"**

**"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?" **

"Good idea, I'd rather my daughter not get sick because she snuck out of the castle." Prongs said.

"She gets it from you." Lily said punching his arm.

"Yes, Lily-Flower." Prongs said.

"Sirius, what is about to come up you may not like." Cris said.

"Alright," Sirius said looking at her weird.

**Cris was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.**

**It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.**

"She's still there?" Padfoot asked surprised.

"I think she will always be there." Lily said.

"She's still there in our time, but she has her son working with her as well." Lily J said.

"She's married?" Padfoot asked.

"Of course," Scarlett said.

**"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.**

**Cris and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.**

**"Happy Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.**

**Cris drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of her from the inside.**

**A sudden breeze ruffled her hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Cris looked over the rim of her tankard and choked.**

**Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. **

"You need to get out of there!" Sirius exclaimed loudly.

"Sirius, my ears!" both Remus' and Teddy said covering their ears.

"Sorry, Moony's and Moonslet." Sirius said.

"Moonslet?" Teddy asked amused.

"Yep, you're Moony's son so Moonslet." Sirius said.

"So what would you call us?" Scarlett asked.

"You know, I'm not sure, my pups for sure but I don't know." Sirius said.

"You sometime call us Kitlets," Keiran said.

"That makes sense." Sirius said.

**In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Cris' head and forced him off her stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Cris clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward her.**

**Somewhere above her, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!"**

**The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. **

"Good idea," Tonks said, "you should also dry yourself off."

"I did," Cris said with a smile.

"Good, but what a waste of perfectly good butterbeer." Charlie said.

**Staring through the dense lower branches, Cris saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and minister as they sat down.**

**Next she saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice.**

**"A small gillywater —"**

**"Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice.**

**"Four pints of mulled mead —" **

"Hagrid," Padfoot and Prongs said grinning at each other.

"I should have known something was up with that tree being right there." McGonagall said. The trio grinned and the teachers minus Dumbledore groaned.

**"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.**

**"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"**

**"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.**

**"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."**

**"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"**

**"Well, thank you very much, Minister."**

**Cris watched the glittering heels march away and back again. Her heart was pounding uncomfortably in her throat. Why hadn't it occurred to her that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers too? And how long were they going to sit there? She needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if she wanted to return to school tonight… Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to her.**

**"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.**

**Cris saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers. Then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"**

**"I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta.**

**"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.**

"Good old Hagrid," Prongs said.

"He can keep secrets as long as you keep him sober." Cris said.

"Figured that out too then?" Remus asked.

"It's hard not to figure it out what with what happened first year." Hermione said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Sirius said.

"What happened first year?" Robin asked.

"I'll tell you later alright?" Sirius asked.

"Alright," Robin said.

**"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

**"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.**

**"You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away… It's very bad for business, Minister."**

**"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."**

"Of course not they almost killed Cris!" Lily exclaimed.

"They were doing their job though," Percy said.

"Yes, by almost killing my daughter!" Prongs snapped.

"Remind me to never anger my parents," Cris whispered to the twins. They nodded as they stared at their future in-laws.

**"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"**

**"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.**

**"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse…We all know what Black's capable of…" **

"Playing innocent pranks," Sirius said.

"I think there's more to it there Dad," Keiran said.

"You and Aunt Cris are highly respected duelers." Scarlett said.

"What am I doing?" Sirius asked.

"I don't think we should tell him." Teddy said.

"Please, please, please." Sirius begged.

"Alright, we'll tell you," Lily J said.

"But we'll tell you at the end of the chapter about everything, who died, and the jobs everyone has, how about that?" Victoire suggested.

"Alright, I think we can accept that." Dumbledore said.

**"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me than what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."**

**"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."**

**"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"**

**"I certainly do," said Fudge.**

**"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"**

**"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"**

**"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh; they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"**

"Got that right," Prongs and Padfoot said.

"Best friends, or rather brothers until the very end." Prongs said.

"I feel that way with my best friends." Cris said. Ron and Hermione smiled widely at her and she smiled back at them.

**Cris dropped her tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked her.**

"I had a bruise after that." Cris said.

"I'm sorry; I didn't want you to get caught." Ron said.

"That's alright Red." Cris said

**"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"**

**"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money." **

"Why thank you Hagrid," the twins said.

"Actually I think the two of you may be worse, because you don't have someone like Remus to keep the two of you in line." McGonagall said. Fred and George high-fived each other while the marauders were looking at Remus with mock hatred.

**"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"**

**"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. **

"Of course, I would want him by my side when I marry the girl of my dreams." Prongs said.

"Thanks mate," Padfoot said.

**Then they named him godfather to Cristal. Cristal has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment her."**

"That is where he would be wrong; I'm proud and ecstatic about having a godfather." Cris said.

"Good, because I know for a fact that he would protect you until his last breath." Prongs said.

"Got that right." Sirius and Padfoot said.

"Do I have a godmother?" Cris asked.

"Lily asked two people, just in case anything happened, me and Alice Longbottom." Robin said. Cris smiled over at Neville's shocked face.

"That practically makes us siblings Neville," Cris said.

"I guess it does," Neville said.

**"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

**"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."**

**"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. **

"Of course that it's Flitwick that will explain it." Prongs said.

"So we were under the Fidelius Charm," Lily whispered.

**"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"**

"But then how, Sirius would have been ours." Prongs said.

"If it'll help I will explain it after they leave the pub." Sirius said.

"Alright," Lily said.

**"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.**

**"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."**

**"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.**

"No I didn't suspect Sirius; I could tell that he was fully against him since he got word of his brother's death." Dumbledore said.

"Reggie's dead?" Padfoot asked.

"He died one year after he graduated." Sirius said.

"Oh Sirius, I'm so sorry," Lily said.

"He made his decision when he was sixteen." Sirius said.

"He joined those bastards didn't he?" Padfoot asked. Sirius nodded and Hermione continued reading.

"**He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."**

"**But James Potter insisted on using Black?"**

"**He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —"**

"Only a week?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, apparently I trusted the wrong person." Sirius said but barely speaking the last part.

"**Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.**

"**He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Cristal Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"**

Lily, Prongs and Padfoot turned pale.

"**Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.**

"**Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.**

"**I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Cris from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got her outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across her forehead, an' her parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared. **

"I'm so glad that he knows the truth now." Sirius said.

"I glad we gotten it straightened out then because otherwise you would have been killed." Robin said.

"Hagrid is very protective of his friends." Remus said.

**"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"**

**"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! **

"Not true, when I saw that he was holding you I was in shock that you survived." Sirius said.

"I think we all were shocked that she survived." Remus said.

**An' then he says, 'Give Cris ter me, Hagrid, I'm her godfather, I'll look after her —' **

"He should have so that Sirius could explain to Dumbledore that they switched." Remus said.

"We switched?" Prongs asked.

"Yes, we'll tell you later." Cris said.

**Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Cris was ter go ter her aunt an' uncle's. **

**Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Cris there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says.**

**"I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was; it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.**

**"But what if I'd given Cris to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched her off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' daughter! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore…"**

"That's a lode of bull," Robin said.

"Sirius was over the moon when Cris was born." Remus said.

"I bet it was the same with his own two children too." Tonks said.

"He was with Scarlett but I bet it was the same with Keiran." Teddy said.

**A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"**

**"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew **

"Wormtail? What did he do?" Prongs asked.

"Framing me for murder," Sirius muttered.

— **another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."**

"No he did it to save himself." Cris muttered angrily.

**"Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.**

**"Hero — worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold. **

"Now I don't feel that way one bit," McGonagall snapped quietly.

**"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"**

"I did what?" Padfoot exclaimed.

"I promise we'll clear all this up after this." Sirius said.

"So you didn't kill Peter?" Moony asked.

"No, he tricked me." Sirius said.

"That's hard to do," Prongs said.

**Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always hopeless at dueling… should have left it to the Ministry…"**

**"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd 've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid growled.**

"I'm glad that I didn't face him." Sirius said with a pale face.

**"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"**

"Wait, laughing? The only reason he would laugh would be because he was tricked." Prongs said.

"So Peter wasn't dead." Moony said.

"No," Remus said.

"But the blood," Lily said.

"A rouse to let everyone think he was dead." Robin said.

"That doesn't sound like Pete," Prongs said.

**Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.**

**"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."**

**Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.**

**"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"**

"I'm as sane as ever." Sirius said.

"That's refreshing." Tonks said.

**"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."**

**"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"**

**"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…" **

"And yet when he did you didn't believe me." Cris said.

"Of course he didn't, you came back with a dead body," Percy said.

"And if you would check my wand you would know for a fact that I never cast that dreadful curse." Cris said.

"And I did question her after it happened, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said.

"If you say so." Percy said.

**There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.**

**"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall.**

**One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Cris took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared.**

**"Cris?"**

**Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at her, lost for words. At the back of her mind something was screaming that he was innocent.**

"That's the chapter." Hermione said. She handed the book to Ron.

"Alright, please explain what is going on." Prongs said.

"Alright, you two agreed on me for being the secret keeper, although I had thought about it with Robin but she didn't know I talked you into it. I came up with an idea to trick everyone into thinking I would be the secret keeper be the decoy for the real one. Peter was the actual secret-keeper." Sirius said.

"What?!" the past asked.

"He was the spy in the Order, Dumbledore knew there was one but we didn't know who, Peter was the perfect spy, nobody would suspect him. Anyway, we changed in secret which now I know was stupid, we should have told at least Dumbledore. I didn't know until it was too late, I was going to check on Peter after I went to see you. I followed him into an alley had him cornered but he blasted the street cut off his finger and transformed into a rat and fled into the sewers."

"So that's why you ended up in Azkaban." Prongs said.

"Yep, so enough of that, you seven promised to tell us what we do in the future and who die." Sirius said.

The seven from the future looked at each other and Keiran decided to start.


	14. Quick Break

"I think we should start with the deaths if that's alright with everyone." Keiran said.

"Alright," they agreed.

"In the final battle there were many deaths, some students some adults, the ones that had the most affect that year are sitting in this room. Dumbledore's dies in Aunt Cris' sixth year, followed by Moody as they were getting her out of the Dursley's. Uncle George lost an ear, but that's it. In the final battle, there were four more deaths, Uncle Percy took an AK for Uncle Ron, needless to say Uncle Ron was furious," Keiran said.

"So that's why I named my son after Percy," Charlie said going pale. Mrs. Weasley was crying as she ran over and scooped Percy into her arms.

"My baby, my poor, poor baby." She wailed.

"Please continue," Dumbledore said. Keiran nodded absently and took another breath to continue.

"The other two were Tonks and Remus." Keiran said.

"But we had Teddy." Tonks said tears falling down her face.

"How old?" Remus asked.

"I was not even a month old." Teddy said. Tonks was crying harder and clutched Teddy closer to her.

"We're the only marauders left." Sirius muttered to Robin.

"I know, but we are going to change all of this." Robin said.

"Snape dies as well." Keiran said. "He dies at the hands of Voldemort."

"So he really is on our side." Ron said.

"Alright, jobs, unless there are more deaths." Robin said.

"No, there aren't any more deaths. Alright, dad is now head of the Aurors and Aunt Cris is his second." Scarlett said.

"Which was a good thing because dad was very protective of her when she was pregnant." Keiran said.

"Damn right I would be but I would be more pissed at Fred and George." Sirius said.

"Uncle Ron and Uncle Draco are partnering Aurors; we still don't know how they survived it." Lily J said. Ron and Draco were staring at each other trying to picture it.

"Dad and Papa, have the shop that is succeeding very well." James said.

"Aunt Hermione is the head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She has made it so Werewolves can get jobs and house-elves are paid and get holiday when they ask for it." Victoire said.

"That's good but they are still not free." Hermione said.

"They can't be freed without their magic being almost drained from them." Scarlett said.

"Oh, I didn't know that." Hermione said.

"Anyway, Aunt Ginny used to play for the Holyhead Harpies until she was pregnant now she is a Quidditch report for the Daily Prophet." Al said.

"Uncle Neville was an Auror then was asked by Professor McGonagall to teach Herbology and become the head of Gryffindor house." Victoire said.

"Uncle Charlie now works as the Care of Magical Creature Professor since Hagrid went to France to be with Madame Maxine. Aunt Angelina has taken over for Madame Hooch." Lily J said.

"Uncle Bill still works for Gringotts but Aunt Fleur is now a stay at home mom, but she works somewhat part time at Gringotts." Lily J said.

"Grandpa now works in the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects." James said.

"Aunt Luna works for her dad in the Quibbler." Scarlett said.

"Aunt Gwen is a nurse, which is a good thing because we get hurt a lot when all of us play quidditch." Keiran said with a laugh.

"And of course you already know that mum is the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, going on five years now." Scarlett said.


	15. Chapter 11: The Firebolt

"Well now that we've got that done and over with, Ron, please start the next chapter." Cris said. Ron nodded and opened up to the next chapter.

"**Chapter 11: The Firebolt," **Ron read.

The marauders cheered and Prongs went over and hugged Sirius chanting thank you.

"You don't know that I gave it to her." Sirius said.

"Well I have a feeling that you did, so there." Prongs said. Sirius chuckled but was sad; he really missed his best friend, his brother.

**Cris didn't have a very clear idea of how she had managed to get back into the Honeydukes cellar, through the tunnel, and into the castle once more. All she knew was that the return trip seemed to take no time at all, and that she hardly noticed what she was doing, because her head was still pounding with the conversation she had just heard.**

**Why had nobody ever told her Dumbledore, Hagrid, Mr. Weasley, Cornelius Fudge… why hadn't anyone ever mentioned the fact that Cris' parents had died because their best friend had betrayed them? **

"You shouldn't have had to find out like that, even though the facts are a little construed." Sirius said.

"Well, I'm just glad that I found out when I did." Cris said.

"Good," Sirius said.

**Ron and Hermione watched Cris nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits.**

"That's awesome!" Prongs and Padfoot said.

"You two should know better than that." Mrs. Weasley said.

**Cris, who didn't want Fred and George asking her whether she'd reached Hogsmeade or not, sneaked quietly up to the empty dormitory and headed straight for her bedside cabinet. She pushed her books aside and quickly found what she was looking for — the leather-bound photo album Hagrid had given her two years ago, which was full of wizard pictures of her mother and father. She sat down on her bed, drew the hangings around her, and started turning the pages, searching, until…**

**She stopped on a picture of her parents' wedding day. There was her father waving up at her, beaming, the untidy black hair Cris had inherited standing up in all directions. There was her mother, alight with happiness, arm in arm with her dad. And there… that must be him. Their best man… Cris had never given him a thought before. **

"Sirius, I'm sorry for what you are about to hear." Cris said.

"It's okay; I know that you hated me before I explained everything to you." Sirius said. Cris went over and gave him a hug before Ron continued.

**If she hadn't known it was the same person, she would never have guessed it was Black in this old photograph. His face wasn't sunken and waxy, but handsome, full of laughter. Had he already been working for Voldemort when this picture had been taken? Was he already planning the deaths of the two people next to him? Did he realize he was facing twelve years in Azkaban, twelve years that would make him unrecognizable?**

**But the Dementors don't affect him, Cris thought, staring into the handsome, laughing face. He doesn't have to hear my Mum screaming if they get too close — **

"I felt the sorrow seeing the house destroyed, hearing the news of my brother and feeling the loss of the two most kind and caring people." Sirius said with a haunted look on his face.

"It's okay now Daddy," Scarlett said hugging him.

"We're here for the moment, we may be from the future but we always helped you when mum isn't around." Keiran said.

"Don't forget about me!" Cris said.

"How could I forget?" Sirius asked.

"Alright just making sure." Cris said. Everyone was just shaking their heads with smiles plastered on their faces.

"You're going to make a great dad, Pads." Prongs whispered. Padfoot smiled and nodded and Ron continued.

**Cris slammed the album shut, reached over and stuffed it back into her cabinet, took off her robe and glasses and got into bed, making sure the hangings were hiding her from view.**

**The dormitory door opened.**

**"Cris?" said Ron's voice uncertainly.**

**But Cris lay still, pretending to be asleep. She heard Ron leave again, and rolled over on her back, her eyes wide open.**

**A hatred such as she had never known before was coursing through Cris like poison. She could see Black laughing at her through the darkness, as though somebody had pasted the picture from the album over his eyes. She watched, as though somebody was playing her a piece of film, Sirius Black blasting Peter Pettigrew (who resembled Neville Longbottom)**

"Neville, I'm so sorry." Cris said.

"It's okay, I understand, though I would never betray you." Neville said. Cris smiled at him, they may not do pranks like the marauders but they do cause a lot of trouble.

**into a thousand pieces. She could hear (though having no idea what Black's voice might sound like) a low, excited mutter. "It has happened, My Lord… the Potters have made me their Secret-Keeper" **

"It was the wrong person." Sirius said.

"That does sound more like Peter, I've never once heard Sirius say the Dark Lord or whatever crap Voldemort calls himself." Prongs said.

**and then came another voice, laughing shrilly, the same laugh that Cris heard inside her head whenever the Dementors drew near…**

**"Cris, you — you look terrible."**

"Wait, what?" Ginny asked.

"It's a new section, Gin." Ron said.

"Oh, I hate it when it does that." Ginny said.

"Don't we all." Cris said.

**Cris hadn't gotten to sleep until daybreak. She had awoken to find the dormitory deserted, dressed, and gone down the spiral staircase to a common room that was completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, and Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables.**

"That isn't unusual. Well at least Hermione and the homework bit." Cris said.

"Hey!" Hermione said.

"I love you Mione," Cris said with a warm smile.

"Uh-huh, sure whatever," Hermione said.

**"Where is everyone?" said Cris.**

**"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" said Ron, watching Cris closely. "It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to come and wake you up in a minute."**

**Cris slumped into a chair next to the fire. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug.**

**"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.**

**"I'm fine," said Cris.**

**"Cris, listen," said Hermione, exchanging a look with Ron, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is; you mustn't go doing anything stupid." **

"Me doing something stupid? Never." Cris said.

"Yeah right Cris," Hermione said.

"You do it only when you have to." Ron said.

"Exactly," Cris said.

"What are we going to do with you?" Sirius asked.

"Love me for you I am?" Cris asked.

"I guess that will have to do." Sirius said.

**"Like what?" said Cris.**

**"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply.**

**Cris could tell they had rehearsed this conversation while she had been asleep. She didn't say anything.**

**"You won't, will you, Cris?" said Hermione.**

**"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron. **

**Cris looked at them. They didn't seem to understand at all.**

**"D'you know what I see and hear every time a Dementor gets too near me?" Ron and Hermione shook their heads, looking apprehensive. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her —" **

"I'm sorry Siri," Cris said.

"Hey, stop with the apologizing, you've already done that." Sirius said. "Besides I could tell that you were angry with me,"

"Alright," Cris said.

**"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, looking stricken. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and — and serve him right!"**

**"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."**

**"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. "You want to — to kill Black or something?"**

**"Don't be silly," said Hermione in a panicky voice. "Cris doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Cris?"**

"Only if I don't have," Cris said. Everybody missed the look of remorse flash across Dumbledore's face.

**Again, Cris didn't answer. She didn't know what she wanted to do. All she knew was that the idea of doing nothing, while Black was at liberty, was almost more than she could stand.**

**"Malfoy knows," she said abruptly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself… I'd want revenge.'"**

**"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" said Ron furiously. "Listen… you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me — the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman, Cris, and he's dangerous —" **

"I'm not that dangerous." Sirius said.

"No of course not." Cris said. Sirius playfully scowled at her but didn't say anything else.

**"Malfoy's dad must have told him," said Cris, ignoring Ron. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle —"**

**"Say You-Know-Who, will you?" interjected Ron angrily. **

"Never!" Cris exclaimed. Everyone was chuckling at her.

"Stop or I will tickle you." Ron said.

"You wouldn't," Cris said.

"Oh, I will." Ron said. Cris gulped and hid behind George happy that there were people in between them.

"So, my daughter is ticklish." Prongs said with a mischievous glee in his eyes.

"No I'm not!" Cris said trying to put confidence behind her voice.

"Oh yes she is, she is the target of many tickle wars." Neville said. Cris glared at them and was feeling very unsettled with the glint in her father's eyes.

**"— so obviously, the Malfoy's knew Black was working for Voldemort —"**

**"— and Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces, like Pettigrew! Get a grip. Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch."**

**"Cris, please," said Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, "Please be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants… Oh, Cris, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!"**

"I actually, I think we would want you to prove him innocent." Prongs said. Cris smiled but was still was unsettled by the look in his eyes.

**"I'll never know what they'd have wanted, because thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them," said Cris shortly. However the nagging voice in her head was telling her to not judge before she got all the facts.**

"Yes, listen to that little voice; it's probably your mother." Prongs said. Lily smacked him but he just grinned at her.

"Actually, I think it might have been." Cris said. Lily smiled at her and Ron continued.

**There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously flexing his claws. Ron's pocket quivered. **

"Aw poor baby, not." Cris said.

"I really hate that rat." Robin said.

**"Look," said Ron, obviously casting around for a change of subject, "it's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas! Let's — let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages!"**

**"No!" said Hermione quickly. "Cris isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron —"**

**"Yeah, let's go," said Cris, sitting up, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents!"**

**Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind.**

**"Or we could have a game of chess," he said hastily, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set —" **

"Well, you didn't lose any pieces so I can't yell at you." Percy said.

"What did you guys end up doing?" Tonks asked.

"We went down to Hagrid." Cris said.

"Talked them into it I see." Sirius said.

"Of course, I'm good like that." Cris said.

"Just like your mum." Lily said with a smile.

"Well, she is more like you than like James, personality wise." Remus said. Cris and Lily smiled at each other and Cris was hoping that when all this is over that she will be living with her parents who never died and Voldemort gone from the picture.

**"No, let's visit Hagrid," said Cris firmly.**

**So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole ("Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!"), **

"When do you get rid of him?" Bill asked.

"It was after the holidays." Ron said with a quick glance to Sirius who smiled a little guiltily.

"And that day couldn't come any sooner." Cris said.

"I know how you feel," Charlie said with a laugh.

**down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors.**

**They made their way slowly down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow, their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing. The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake. **

"Oohh, cake." Ron and both Sirius' said.

"Cake is always good, but not right now." Cris said.

"You're no fun." Ron said but smiled over at her anyway.

**Ron knocked, but there was no answer.**

**"He's not out, is he?" said Hermione, who was shivering under her cloak.**

**Ron had his ear to the door.**

**"There's a weird noise," he said. "Listen — is that Fang?"**

**Cris and Hermione put their ears to the door too. From inside the cabin came a series of low, throbbing moans.**

**"Think we'd better go and get someone?" said Ron nervously.**

**"Hagrid!" called Cris, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?"**

**There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen, tears splashing down the front of his leather vest.**

**"You've heard?" he bellowed, **

"Heard what? What's going on?" Tonks asked.

"I think it's about Buckbeak." Charlie said sadly.

"You're probably right," Bill said.

**and he flung himself onto Cris' neck.**

"That isn't fun." Charlie said absently rubbing his neck.

"We know," Ron and Cris said.

"We weren't fast enough to get out of the way." Cris said.

**Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter. Cris, about to collapse under Hagrid's weight, was rescued by Ron and Hermione, who each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him back into the cabin. Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably, his face glazed with tears that dripped down into his tangled beard.**

"**Hagrid, what is it?" said Hermione, aghast.**

**Cris spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table.**

"**What's this, Hagrid?"**

**Hagrid's sobs redoubled, but he shoved the letter toward Cris, who picked it up and read aloud:**

_**Dear Mr. Hagrid,**_

_**Further to our inquiry into the attack by a Hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident.**_

"That's great, he won't get fired or something like that." Bill said.

"But why is he crying?" Charlie asked.

"We'll find out Char," Tonks said.

**"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" said Ron, clapping Hagrid on the shoulder. But Hagrid continued to sob, and waved one of his gigantic hands, inviting Cris to read on.**

_**However, we must register our concern about the Hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your Hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the Hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. **_

"Poor Buckbeak." Charlie said.

"That really sucks," Scarlett said.

_**Yours in fellowship…**_

**There followed a list of the school governors.**

**"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad Hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off."**

**"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"**

**A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Cris, Ron, and Hermione whip around. Buckbeak the Hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor.**

"Why was he in the cabin?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Hagrid didn't him by himself for Christmas." Cris said with a fond smile.

"That's Hagrid for you." Charlie said with a chuckle.

**"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas."**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another. They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called 'interesting creatures' and other people called 'terrifying monsters.' On the other hand, there didn't seem to be any particular harm in Buckbeak. In fact, by Hagrid's usual standards, he was positively cute.**

"He was cute." Cris said.

"Yeah, he was compared to the others." Hermione said.

"That's true." Ron said.

**"You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."**

**"Won' make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! Ad if I lose the case, Buckbeak —"**

**Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms. **

"They can't do that!" Charlie exclaimed.

"What can you expect from a bunch of jackasses in Malfoy's pocket?" Cris asked.

"Well, that's true." Sirius said.

**"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" said Cris.**

**"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them Dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around."**

**Ron and Hermione looked quickly at Cris, as though expecting her to start berating Hagrid for not telling her the truth about Black. But Cris couldn't bring herself to do it, not now that she saw Hagrid so miserable and scared.**

**"Listen, Hagrid," she said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defense. You can call us as witnesses —"**

**"I'm sure I've read about a case of Hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the Hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened." **

"So even though you may not win you still try and help." Kingsley said.

"But of course." Cris said.

"Why wouldn't we?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, just some people wouldn't and you three do." Tonks said with giggle.

**Hagrid howled still more loudly. Cris and Hermione looked at Ron to help them.**

**"Er — shall I make a cup of tea?" said Ron.**

**Cris stared at him.**

**"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging.**

"It does help," Mrs. Weasley said.

"That's because tea can help relax and reduces stress." Hermione said.

"That's not surprising." Cris said.

**At last, after many more assurances of help, with a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said, "Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together…"**

**Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee.**

**"I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes —"**

**"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.**

"They were a bit boring after the first but the next year was really interesting to say the least." Cris said.

"That's true," Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco said.

"You know Mione, you weren't a very good liar right there." Cris said.

"Oh shut it Cris." Hermione said. Cris smiled and giggled while Ron continued with a smile on his face.

**"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table. "Er — how are the flobberworms?"**

**"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce." **

"That's a weird way to die," Fred said.

"I ate too much so I died." George said pretending to right there. Cris rolled her eyes and slapped his chest. He yelped and everyone chuckled at the trio seeing as Cris slapped Fred as well.

**"Oh no!" said Ron, his lip twitching.**

**"An' them Dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid, with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban —"**

**He fell silent, gulping his tea. Cris, Ron, and Hermione watched him breathlessly. They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before. After a pause, Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?"**

**"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind… the day I got expelled from Hogwarts… day me dad died… day I had ter let Norbert go…"**

"At least those aren't all that terrible compared to what they could have been." Cris said.

"True," Robin said.

**His eyes filled with tears. Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards.**

**"Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while. An' yeh can' really see the point o' livin' at all. I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep. When they let me out, it was like bein' born again, ev'rythin' came floodin' back, it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the Dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go."**

"They never are," Kingsley said.

"They are just sick," Hermione said.

**"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.**

"So was I," Sirius said.

**Hagrid snorted.**

**"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."**

**Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, "Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go… tryin' ter make him fly away… but how d'yeh explain ter a Hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An' — an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law…" He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."**

**The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though Cris had by no means forgotten about Black, she couldn't brood constantly on revenge if she wanted to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. She, Ron, and Hermione went to the library the next day and returned to the empty common room laden with books that might help prepare a defense for Buckbeak. The three of them sat in front of the roaring fire, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases of marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant.**

**"Here's something… there was a case in 1722… but the Hippogriff was convicted — ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting —" **

"Please don't tell us what happened, I don't think I want to know what happened." Charlie said sadly.

**"This might help, look — a Manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the Manticore off — oh — no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it…" **

"Yeah, that would be a problem." Bill said.

"There's got to be something though." Charlie said.

"I'm sure they'll find something Char," Tonks said.

**Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armor, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air.**

**On Christmas morning, Cris was woken by Ron throwing his pillow at her.**

"Why were your curtains open?" Sirius asked.

"I was very hot and the cool air felt nice." Cris said.

"That tends to happen sometimes." Robin said.

**"Oy! Presents!"**

**Cris reached for her glasses and put them on, squinting through the semi-darkness to the foot of her bed, where a small heap of parcels had appeared. Ron was already ripping the paper off his own presents.**

**"Another sweater from Mum… maroon again… see if you've got one."**

**Cris had. Mrs. Weasley had sent her a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front,**

"I would have done one in your favorite color, but I have no idea what it is." Mrs. Weasley said sheepishly.

"It's purple," Cris said with a smile. Mrs. Weasley smiled and made a mental note of it.

**also a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. As she moved all these things aside, she saw a long, thin package lying underneath. **

"It's the Firebolt!" Prongs exclaimed.

"But you don't know that just yet," Moony said.

"The chapter is called Firebolt," Padfoot said.

"Oh yeah," Moony said.

**"What's that?" said Ron, looking over, a freshly unwrapped pair of maroon socks in his hand.**

**"Dunno…"**

**Cris ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto her bedspread. Ron dropped his socks and jumped off his bed for a closer look.**

**"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely.**

**It was a Firebolt, **

"Yes!" all the Quidditch fans exclaimed. Sirius and Cris smiled at each other, Cris treasured that broom.

"Wait, why aren't you guys excited?" Prongs asked the kids from the future.

"Because we have better brooms now." James said.

"That makes sense." Padfoot said.

**identical to the dream broom Cris had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as she picked it up. She could feel it vibrating and let go; it hung in midair, unsupported, at exactly the right height for her to mount it. Her eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail. **

Prongs and Padfoot were literally drooling at the description of the broom.

**"Who sent it to you?" said Ron in a hushed voice.**

**"Look and see if there's a card," said Cris.**

**Ron ripped apart the Firebolt's wrappings.**

**"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"**

"So who sent it?" Prongs asked.

"It might have been me, but I wouldn't have signed the card considering that I'm on the run." Padfoot said. Sirius smiled secretly but didn't say anything else.

**"Well," said Cris, feeling stunned, "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursley's."**

"Yeah, they wouldn't spend a dime on you." Lily said with a scowl at her sister and brother-in-law.

**"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron, now walking around and around the Firebolt, taking in every glorious inch. "He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously…" **

"Alas, the cloak was yours rightfully; I wouldn't be allowed to give you the broom, but good theory." Dumbledore said.

"It was worth a shot." Ron said shrugging his shoulders.

**"That was my dad's, though," said Cris. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to me. He wouldn't spend hundreds of Galleons on me. He can't go giving students stuff like this —"**

**"That's why he wouldn't say it was from him!" said Ron. "In case some git like Malfoy said it was favoritism. Hey, Cris —" Ron gave a great whoop of laughter — "Malfoy! Wait 'til he sees you on this! He'll be sick as a pig! This is an international standard broom, this is!"**

"I couldn't believe it actually." Draco said.

"I can see that," Luna said with a dreamy smile.

**"I can't believe this," Cris muttered, running a hand along the Firebolt, while Ron sank onto Cris' bed, laughing his head off at the thought of Malfoy. "Who—?"**

**"I know," said Ron, controlling himself, "I know who it could've been — Lupin!" **

"I wanted to but at that time the money was tight." Remus said.

"No worries Uncle Moony," Cris said with a smile.

**"What?" said Cris, now starting to laugh herself "Lupin? Listen, if he had this much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some new robes." **

"That's true," Remus said with a laugh.

"So you're not mad?" Cris asked.

"No, it's true; I would've bought myself some nicer clothes." Remus said.

**"Yeah, but he likes you," said Ron. "And he was away when your Nimbus got smashed, and he might've heard about it and decided to visit Diagon Alley and get this for you —"**

**"What d'you mean, he was away?" said Cris. "He was ill when I was playing in that match."**

**"Well, he wasn't in the hospital wing," said Ron. "I was there, cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?"**

"That's probably why he sent you there." Robin said.

"To try and get everyone to know that he is a werewolf." Sirius scowled angrily over at Snape.

**Cris frowned at Ron.**

"**I can't see Lupin affording something like this."**

"**What're you two laughing about?"**

**Hermione had just come in, wearing her dressing gown and carrying Crookshanks, who was looking very grumpy, with a string of tinsel tied around his neck. **

"Poor Crookshanks." Lily J said.

"And Mia was wondering why he was grumpy." Cris said with a smirk while Hermione huffed.

**"Don't bring him in here!" said Ron, hurriedly snatching Scabbers from the depths of his bed and stowing him in his pajama pocket.**

**But Hermione wasn't listening. She dropped Crookshanks onto Seamus's empty bed and stared, open-mouthed, at the Firebolt.**

**"Oh, Cris! Who sent you that?"**

**"No idea," said Cris. "There wasn't a card or anything with it."**

**To her great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip. **

"Why?" Prongs asked.

"I thought it was cursed and was given to her by Sirius." Hermione said.

"So you were just worried about your friend." Tonks said.

"Yeah," Hermione said with a light blush.

**"What's the matter with you?" said Ron.**

**"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?"**

"The best at the moment Mione," Charlie said with a smile.

"Thanks I got that," Hermione said.

"You're welcome," Charlie said with a grin.

**Ron sighed exasperatedly.**

**"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," he said.**

**"So it must've been really expensive…"**

**"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," said Ron happily.**

**"Well… who'd send Cris something as expensive as that, and not even tell her they'd sent it?" said Hermione.**

**"Who cares?" said Ron impatiently. "Listen, Cris, can I have a go on it? Can I?"**

**"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly.**

**Cris and Ron looked at her. **

**"What d'you think Cris' going to do with it — sweep the floor?" said Ron.**

"Don't do that!" Padfoot and Prongs exclaimed.

"Don't worry Dad I don't." Cris said smiling at the younger versions of her dad and godfather.

"Good otherwise…. I don't know what I would do." Prongs said.

**But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from Seamus's bed, right at Ron's chest.**

**"GET — HIM — OUT — OF — HERE!" Ron bellowed as Crookshanks's claws ripped his pajamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and aimed a misjudged kick at Crookshanks that hit the trunk at the end of Cris' bed, knocking it over and causing Ron to hop up and down, howling with pain.**

**Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end. A shrill, tinny, whistling was filling the room. The Pocket Sneakoscope had become dislodged from Uncle Vernon's old socks and was whirling and gleaming on the floor.**

"What the hell?" Moony asked.

"It's the traitor," Cris snapped.

"Pete, I would have never thought that he was alive if you hadn't explained it to me." Lily said.

**"I forgot about that!" Cris said, bending down and picking up the Sneakoscope. "I never wear those socks if I can help it…"**

**The Sneakoscope whirled and whistled in his palm. Crookshanks was hissing and spitting at it.**

**"You'd better take that cat out of here, Hermione," said Ron furiously, sitting on Cris' bed nursing his toe. "Can't you shut that thing up?" he added to Cris as Hermione strode out of the room, Crookshanks's yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron.**

**Cris stuffed the Sneakoscope back inside the socks and threw it back into her trunk. All that could be heard now were Ron's stifled moans of pain and rage. Scabbers was huddled in Ron's hands. It had been a while since Cris had seen him out of Ron's pocket, and he was unpleasantly surprised to see that Scabbers, once so fat, was now very skinny; patches of fur seemed to have fallen out too.**

**"It's stress!" said Ron. "He'd be fine if that big stupid furball left him alone!"**

**But Cris, remembering what the woman at the Magical Menagerie had said about rats living only three years, couldn't help feeling that unless Scabbers had powers he had never revealed, he was reaching the end of his life. And despite Ron's frequent complaints that Scabbers was both boring and useless, he was sure Ron would be very miserable if Scabbers died.**

"Yeah, that is until we learned the truth." Ron said.

"Scabbers' nothing more than a rat." Percy said.

"That's what you think." Cris said.

**Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in her dormitory, but was furious with Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks's fresh attempt to eat Scabbers. Cris gave up trying to make them talk to each other and devoted herself to examining the Firebolt, which she had brought down to the common room with her. For some reason this seemed to annoy Hermione as well; she didn't say anything, but she kept looking darkly at the broom as though it too had been criticizing her cat.**

**At lunchtime they went down to the Great Hall, to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather moldy-looking tailcoat. There were only three other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth year.**

"I don't think it's ever been that empty before." Robin said.

"It was rather unusual but it was nice as well." Cris said.

"That is without the fight right?" Remus asked.

"Of course, as I much as I love these two they bicker so damn much." Cris said.

"They're just as bad in the future but their fights seem to be less." James said.

"Thank god," Cris shouted.

**"Happy Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Cris, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables… Sit down, sit down!"**

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table.**

**"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver noisemaker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witches hat topped with a stuffed vulture. **

Everyone busted out laughing.

"Who knew that Dumbledore was such a prankster?" Sirius asked with his bark like laugh.

**Cris, remembering the Boggart, caught Ron's eye and they both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat toward Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.**

**"Dig in!" he advised the table, beaming around.**

**As Cris was helping himself to roast potatoes, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, **

"She hardly comes out of the tower." Fred said.

"It was interesting to say the least." Cris said.

"I bet it was," George said.

**gliding toward them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.**

**"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.**

**"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness…"**

**"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair —"**

**And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.**

**"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"**

"That's a lode of bologna," Lily said.

"But some one at that table was the first to die," Al muttered.

**"We'll risk it, Sybill," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."**

**Professor Trelawney hesitated, and then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.**

**"Tripe, Sybill?"**

**Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"**

**"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day." Duh, it's a full moon, I totally forgot. Cris thought.**

"Now that sucks." Prongs said.

"You get used to it after a while." Remus said.

"You shouldn't have to though." Padfoot said sadly.

"If it makes a difference they are trying to make a cure." Keiran said.

"Really?" Remus and Moony asked.

"Yeah, I'm not sure how far along they are with it." Teddy said.

"That's great!" everyone in the present and past exclaimed.

**"But surely you already knew that, Sybill?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised.**

**Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.**

**"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."**

"Too bad, because people are nervous when they are around you." Tonks said.

"That's an understatement." Cris said.

**"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly.**

"I don't think there is any other teacher that makes McGonagall mad like Trelawney." Sirius said.

**He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him —" Imagine that, Cris thought,**

"Of course, she's a fraud and she makes me mad." Remus said.

"She does that to a lot of people." Scarlett said.

**"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.**

**"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?**

**"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.**

**"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time… Derek, have you had any of the chipolatas? They're excellent."**

**The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands.**

**Professor Trelawney behaved almost normally until the very end of Christmas dinner, two hours later. Full to bursting with Christmas dinner and still wearing their cracker hats, Cris and Ron got up first from the table and she shrieked loudly.**

**"My dears! Which of you left their seat first? Which?"**

**"Dunno," said Ron, looking uneasily at Cris.**

**"I doubt it will make much difference," said Professor McGonagall coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall."**

"I love your sense of humor, Minnie." Sirius said with a smile.

"Thank you Sirius but don't call me Minnie." McGonagall said.

"No can do," Sirius said with a smile. McGonagall groaned and shook her head.

**Even Ron laughed. Professor Trelawney looked highly affronted.**

**"Coming?" Cris said to Hermione.**

**"No," Hermione muttered. "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."**

"You going to do what I think you're doing aren't you?" Tonks asked.

"She did," Remus said with a chuckle.

**"Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," yawned Ron as they make their way into the Entrance Hall, which was completely devoid of mad axe-men.**

**When they reached the portrait hole they found Sir Cadogan enjoying a Christmas part with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts and his fat pony. He pushed up his visor toasted them with a flagon of mead.**

**"Happy — hic — Christmas! Password?"**

**"Scurvy cur," said Ron.**

**"And the same to you, sir!" roared Sir Cadogan, as the painting swung forward to admit them.**

**Cris went straight up to the dormitory, collected her Firebolt and the Broomstick Servicing Kit Hermione had given her for her birthday, brought them downstairs and tried to find something to do with the Firebolt; however, there were no bent twigs to clip, and the handle was so shiny already it seemed pointless to polish it. She and Ron simply sat admiring it from every angle, until the portrait hole opened, and Hermione came in, accompanied by Professor McGonagall.**

"You took it away?" Sirius asked sadly.

"I did it for the best." McGonagall said.

**Though Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor House, Cris had only seen her in the common room once before, and that had been to make a very grave announcement. She and Ron stared at her, both holding the Firebolt. Hermione walked around them, sat down, picked up the nearest book and hid her face behind it.**

**"So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."**

**Cris and Ron looked around at Hermione. They could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside-down. **

"She was nervous." Cris and Ron said.

"You know her really well." Robin said with a laugh.

**"May I?" said Professor McGonagall, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of their hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"**

**"No," said Cris blankly.**

**"I see…" said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter." **

"You did take it." Prongs said sadly.

"I had to; we were worried for her safety." McGonagall said.

"Well thank you for your concern even though Sirius wouldn't hurt her." Lily said.

**"W — what?" said Cris, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"**

**"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down —" **

"Strip it down?" Padfoot asked in a panic.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Lily said.

"It is, isn't?" Prongs asked.

"Yeah, it flies as good as ever." Cris said.

**"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad.**

**"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."**

**"There's nothing wrong with it!" said Cris, her voice shaking slightly. "Honestly, Professor —"**

**"You can't know that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, quite kindly, "not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed."**

**Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Cris stood staring after her, the tin of High-Finish Polish still clutched in her hands. Ron, however, rounded on Hermione.**

**"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"**

**Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.**

**"Because I thought — and Professor McGonagall agrees with me — that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"**

"That's the chapter," Ron said.

"Well you get the broom and it gets taken away," Robin said.

"I should have signed it with Robin's name." Sirius said.

"Then we would have contacted her." McGonagall said.

"Yeah, probably a good thing I didn't then." Sirius said.

"I believe it's my turn." Ginny said.

"Yep," Ron said handing her the book.


	16. Chapter 12: The Patronus

"Before we can continue I want to ask something that has been bugging me." Tonks said.

"Alright," Ginny said closing the book but marking the page with her finger.

"Teddy, since we're dead, who do you live with?" Tonks asked. Remus perked up too, he kind of forgot about it.

"Well, you guys named Cris and Aunt Robin my godmothers since Cris was seventeen, and Sirius is my godfather along with Charlie because Charlie and my mom are friends. When I was younger I would spend time with grandma since grandpa died but she died by the time I was four." Teddy said.

"So by the time my twins were born." Cris said.

"Yeah, but not exactly, you were heavily pregnant." Keiran said. Cris nodded and Tonks seemed sad.

"So by that time I was living with Sirius, Robin, Cris, Fred and George. Grimmauld Place was getting too small and Aunt Cris got the idea for all of us to move to Potter Manor. We did and Charlie came over quite a bit and used to tell me stories about when he and mum were in school." Teddy said.

"We live together and Teddy and Lily J still date?" Cris asked.

"Don't forget about James and Scarlett." Keiran said.

"You said, when you found out about their relationships, that since we aren't related that we just live together that's it's okay." Al said.

"Of course Cris would say something like that." Ron said.

"I just wouldn't want to be a grandma so soon though." Cris said.

"You said that when you talked to us." James laughed.

"But Sirius couldn't say that because he treats us like his grandkids." Lily J said.

"But that doesn't mean that he doesn't gripe about it." Victoire said.

"I bet," Prongs said with a laugh.

"Besides, Black's aren't pureblood anymore which he uses every time he goes to Grimmauld to talk to Phineas." Al said.

"I bet that would make him mad, and my dear mother rolling in her grave." Sirius said with a laugh.

"Alright, that's what I wanted to know." Tonks said hugging her son.

"I can't believe you survived being raised by Sirius." Remus said.

"Hey, it seems my kids are turning out great and Cris is doing amazing as well." Sirius said.

"Yes, that's true," Remus said.

"Ginny can you start before these two get into it." Robin said. Ginny nodded with a smile on her face and opened the book.

"**Chapter 12: The Patronus," **Ginny read.

"Ooohhh, sounds interesting." Lily said.

"Can you actually make it corporeal?" Moony asked.

"I'll that for you to decide at the end of the book." Cris said with a smirk.

"I hate it when she does that." Prongs said.

**Cris knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop her from being somewhat angry with her. She had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, she didn't know whether she would ever see it again. She was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests? **

"I'm sure that it was just fine." Mr. Weasley said.

"It was, but that didn't stop me from worrying about it." Cris said.

"I'm sure," Remus said with a smile.

**Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage. Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. **

**Cris and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. **

"How often do you two fight?" Lily asked.

"A lot, though some of the fights aren't always between her and Ron, me and Ron had gotten into." Cris said.

"If it's anything like the fight me and Padfoot got into I'm sure it wasn't pretty." Prongs said.

"It did take a while for me to come to my senses." Ron said.

"I'm just glad that you did." Cris said.

**All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again. Wood sought Cris out on the night before term started.**

**"****Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas, Cris. After last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one… I mean… we can't afford you to — well —"**

**Wood broke off, looking awkward.**

**"****I'm working on it," said Cris quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the Dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."**

**"****Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case — I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, Cris. And have you ordered a new broom yet?"**

**"****No," said Cris.**

**"****What! You'd better get a move on, you know — you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"**

**"****She got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron.**

"I bet that shocked him." Kingsley said.

"Yeah, his face was priceless." Cris said.

**"****A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A — a real Firebolt?"**

"Was there a fake one out there?" Sirius asked.

"No, I just think that it was unbelievable." Cris said.

**"****Don't get excited, Oliver," said Cris gloomily. "I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated." And she explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes.**

**"****Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"**

**"****Sirius Black," Cris said wearily. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it."**

**Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker, Wood said,**** "****But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?" **

"I used a catalog." Sirius said.

"That was a smart idea." Robin said.

**"****I know," said Cris, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down —"**

**Wood went pale.**

**"****I'll go and talk to her, Cris," he promised. "I'll make her see reason… A Firebolt… a real Firebolt, on our team… She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do… I'll make her see sense. A Firebolt…" **

"Now he's delirious." Victoire said.

"Do you play Quidditch?" Bill asked.

"Most of the family does, it's kind of funny, at the moment, there are only a few that are not family on the Gryffindor team." Teddy said.

"That's awesome." Charlie said.

**Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment,**

"That must have been fun." Tonks said.

"Depends," Ginny said.

**and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing Cris that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen.**

"Well obviously I didn't die as I have five kids with one on the way." Cris said.

"But that doesn't mean that you don't come close to death." Hermione said.

"What?! How many more times?" Lily asked frantically.

"Wait and see." Cris said with hope.

**It was Defense Against the Dark Arts that Cris was keen to get to; after her conversation with Wood, she wanted to get started on her anti-Dementor lessons as soon as possible.**

**"****Ah yes," said Lupin, when Cris reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see… how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough… I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this… We can't bring a real Dementor into the castle to practice on…"**

"I would hope not." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Use a boggart." Moony and Lily said. Cris and Remus smiled but didn't say anything else.

**"****Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as they walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?" Cris had to bit her tongue as she already knew what was wrong, but it wasn't her secret to tell.**

**There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armor, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close. **

"So you the two of you know but didn't say anything to each other?" Remus asked.

"No, not really." Cris and Hermione said with a laugh.

**"****And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably.**

**"****Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder.**

**"Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you —"**

**"****Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority. **

"Now that I think of it, it was kind of obvious." Ron said with a blush.

"But you wouldn't have known if Snape hadn't assigned that paper." Robin said.

"No, but I'm sure him telling us was a big clue too." Ron said sarcastically.

"Yeah, that's a pretty big clue." Sirius said with a laugh.

"**If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.**

"**Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.**

"**She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again." **

"But I did know Ron and so did Cris." Hermione said.

"I know that now." Ron said raising his hands up in surrender.

**At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Cris left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. It was dark and empty when she arrived, but she lit the lamps with her wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binn's desk.**

**"What's that?" said Cris.**

**"Another Boggart," said Lupin, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real Dementor. The Boggart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."**

**"Okay," said Cris, trying to sound as though she wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Lupin had found such a good substitute for a real Dementor. **

"You failed," Remus said chuckling.

**"So…" Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Cris should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, Cris — well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm." **

"How many times did you work on it?" Sirius asked.

"A lot, but it was worth it." Cris said smiling at her godfather who smiled back at her.

**"How does it work?" said Cris nervously.**

**"Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti-Dementor — a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor."**

**Cris had a sudden vision of himself crouching behind a Hagrid-sized figure holding a large club.**

"That would be funny if that was your patronus." Sirius said.

"Well Hagrid would make for a good shield." Tonks said with a laugh.

"That's why I thought of him." Cris said giggling.

**Professor Lupin continued, "The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, Cris, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."**

**"What does a Patronus look like?" said Cris curiously.**

**"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."**

"So, it more than likely isn't a stag." Prongs said sadly.

"You don't know that though." Lily said.

"True, so it still could be." Prongs said with a smile.

**"And how do you conjure it?"**

**"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."**

**Cris cast his mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to her at the Dursley's' was going to do. Finally, she settled on the moment when she had first ridden a broomstick.**

"That might not work." Lily said biting her finger nails.

"Try the dream that you had, that's real." Sirius said worriedly. Cris smiled and Ginny continued reading.

**"Right," she said, trying to recall as exactly as possible the wonderful, soaring sensation of her stomach.**

**"The incantation is this —" Lupin cleared his throat. "Expecto patronum!"**

**"Expecto patronum," Cris repeated under his breath, "expecto patronum."**

**"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"**

**"Oh — yeah —" said Cris, quickly forcing her thoughts back to that first broom ride. "Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — expecto patronum, expecto patronum"**

**Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas. **

"That's amazing for a third year." Percy said obviously impressed with the talent of the attention seeking girl in his opinion.

"Thanks, I think," Cris said confused about Percy's compliment.

**"Did you see that?" said Cris excitedly. "Something happened!"**

**"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then — ready to try it on a Dementor?"**

**"Yes," Cris said, gripping her wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom. She tried to keep her mind on flying, but something else kept intruding… Any second now, she might hear her mother again… but she shouldn't think that, or she would hear her again, and she didn't want to… or did she?**

"Don't think about it." Prongs said in a pleading voice that reminded Cris of his last words.

"I'll try not to dad," Cris said in a small voice.

**Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.**

**A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Cris, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Cris, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him —**

**"Expecto patronum!" Cris yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto —"**

**But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving… Cris was falling again through thick white fog, and her mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside her head — "Not Cris! Not Cris! Please — I'll do anything —"**

**"Stand aside — stand aside, girl —"**

**"Cris!"**

**Cris jerked back to life. She was lying flat on her back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. She didn't have to ask what had happened.**

"Because you fainted again didn't you?" Robin asked.

"To succeed you must fail a few times." Cris said.

"Wise words Miss Potter." Dumbledore said a twinkle in his eye.

"When did you get so smart?" Fred asked.

"It was a gift from my mom." Cris said with a smirk.

"I wouldn't doubt it." Remus said, "It's better than having her dad's brains."

"Hey!"

**"Sorry," she muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind her glasses.**

**"Are you all right?" said Lupin.**

**"Yes…"**

"That should be your catch phrase," George said.

"We'll make it for you," Fred said.

"Don't you dare." Cris snapped.

**Cris pulled herself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.**

**"Here —" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."**

**"It's getting worse," Cris muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort —"**

**Lupin looked paler than usual.**

**"Cris, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —"**

**"I do!" said Cris fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into her mouth. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!" **

"You're channeling your father again." McGonagall said with a smile.

"She tends to do that for Quidditch related things." Robin said with a smile.

"She does do that, I just noticed." Hermione said with a giggle.

**"All right then…" said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on… That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…"**

**Cris thought hard and decided her feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy.**

"Closer, but I don't think that will do it." Bill said.

"I'll be very surprised if she could do it." Charlie said.

"She can, Mum taught a bunch of people it." Al said.

"I did?" Cris asked.

"Yep, and it was a success." James said.

"Sweet, maybe you can teach me, I could never get it." Charlie said.

"I'll try." Cris said with a smile. Charlie nodded and Ginny went back to reading.

**She gripped her wand tightly again and took up her position in the middle of the classroom.**

**"Ready?" said Lupin, gripping the box lid.**

**"Ready," said Cris; trying hard to fill her head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened.**

**"Go!" said Lupin, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Cris —**

**"Expecto patronum!" Cris yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat —"**

**White fog obscured his senses… big, blurred shapes were moving around her… then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking —**

**"Lily, take Cris and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off —" **

"It's me," Prongs said faintly going pale.

"You fought him off signal handly to let your girls escape." Sirius said with tears in his eyes.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Prongs said.

**"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice.**

**"Yeah…" Face dry, Cris looked up. "Why — you didn't know my dad, did you?"**

**"I — I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts.**

"Just friends Moony? I'm hurt." Prongs said.

"I'm sorry, but I wasn't about to explain to her about everything, I had no idea how to start. And Sirius, sorry for what we are about to say." Remus said.

"It's okay; I know that the both of you hated me at the time." Sirius said with a smile.

**Listen, Cris — perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced… I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"**

**"No!" said Cris. She got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is… hang on…"**

**She racked her brains. A really, really happy memory… one that she could turn into a good, strong Patronus…**

**The dream she had about her parents, Lupin, Black and the stranger. She felt happiness surge through her at the feeling of being carefree that she had in the dream. **

"Now if that doesn't work, I don't know what will." Robin said. Cris smiled and Remus chuckled a bit.

**Concentrating very hard on how she had felt during the dream, Cris got to her feet and faced the packing case once more.**

**"Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment. **

"I was, I just wanted you to rest." Remus said.

"Sorry, but I'm just that stubborn." Cris said.

"We know." Everyone said.

**"Concentrating hard? All right — go!"**

**He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark —**

**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Cris bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**

**The screaming inside Cris' head had started again — except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio — softer and louder and softer again… and she could still see the Dementor… it had halted… and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Cris' wand, to hover between her and the Dementor, and though Cris' legs felt like water, she was still on her feet — though for how much longer, she wasn't sure…**

"That's just amazing for a thirteen year old." McGonagall said.

"I don't think we should be surprised, Cris has done many things to impress us." Robin said.

"That's true," McGonagall said.

**"Riddikulus!" roared Lupin, springing forward.**

**There was a loud crack, and Cris' cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; she sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if she'd just run a mile, and felt her legs shaking. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Professor Lupin forcing the Boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again or should I start calling it a full moon. **

"That might be good, just don't say anything to anyone else." Sirius said.

"I wouldn't, I'm not that stupid." Cris said.

"I never said that you were." Sirius said. Cris smiled sweetly at him which made him uncomfortable.

**"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Cris sat. "Excellent, Cris! That was definitely a start!"**

**"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"**

**"Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here —"**

**He handed Cris a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.**

**"Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood.**

"She would be." The past marauders said.

"I know," the trio said.

**Same time next week?"**

**"Okay," said Cris. She took a bite of the chocolate and watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor. A thought had just occurred to her.**

**"Professor Lupin?" she said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well." **

"You startled me for a second." Remus said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put you in that situation." Cris said.

"It's okay, I know you were curious especially after that dream you had." Remus said.

"Yeah, and after I overheard that conversation it was really confusing to me." Cris said.

"I bet it was." Robin said.

**Lupin turned very quickly.**

**"What gives you that idea?" he said sharply.**

**"Nothing — I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"**

**Lupin's face relaxed.**

**"Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Cris, it's getting late."**

**Cris left the classroom, walking along the corridor and around a corner, then took a detour behind a suit of armor and sank down on its plinth to finish her chocolate, wishing she hadn't mentioned Black, as Lupin was obviously not keen on the subject. Then Cris' thoughts wandered back to her mother and father…**

**She felt drained and strangely empty, even though she was so full of chocolate. Terrible though it was to hear her parents' last moments replayed inside her head, these were the only times Cris had heard their voices since she was a very small child other than that dream. But she'd never be able to produce a proper Patronus if she half wanted to hear her parents again…**

**"They're dead," she told himself sternly. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. You'd better get a grip on yourself if you want that Quidditch Cup."**

"You need to get your priorities straight Cris." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I think she has it just fine." Charlie said.

"I'm surrounded by Quidditch freaks." Lily and Mrs. Weasley said.

**She stood up, crammed the last bit of chocolate into her mouth, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.**

**Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a week. This meant that with Lupin's anti-Dementor classes, which in themselves were more draining than six Quidditch practices, Cris had just one night a week to do all her homework.**

"How did you do it?" Tonks asked.

"Very carefully," Cris said.

"She stayed up late on Saturday to get it done." Hermione said.

"Cris, you shouldn't have done that." Lily said.

"Hey, I had to do it sometimes, but I still ended up with descent grades." Cris said.

"You would get better ones if you stopped playing dumb." Robin said.

"I know," Cris said.

**Even so, she was not showing the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.**

**"How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to Cris one evening as Cris sat finishing an essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape. Cris looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books. **

"Good grief, how many classes were you taking?" Lily asked.

"A few." Hermione said.

"That is more than a few." Prongs said.

"How are you taking these classes, it doesn't seem possible." Moony said.

"It is if she has what I think she has." Padfoot said.

"What do you think she has?" Prongs asked surprised that it was Padfoot who figured it out first and not Moony.

"All in good time." Hermione said.

**Cris didn't have time to fathom the mystery of Hermione's impossible schedule at the moment; she really needed to get on with Snape's essay. Two seconds later, however, she was interrupted again, this time by Wood.**

**"Bad news, Cris. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She — er — got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first." **

"I think we've found someone who is even more obsessed with Quidditch than Charlie." Bill said.

"Or Prongsie here." Padfoot said.

"We're not that bad!" Charlie and Prongs said.

"Exactly the point we were making." Bill said with a laugh.

**Wood shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me… you'd think I'd said something terrible. Then I asked her how much longer she was going to keep it…" He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "As long as necessary, Wood"… I reckon it's time you ordered a new broom, Cris. There's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick… you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got."**

"You're not going to get that one, you have the Firebolt." Prongs said.

"You're going to get it back soon." Padfoot said.

**"I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good," said Cris flatly.**

"Hey," Draco said.

"Well the Firebolt is much better." Cris said.

"That's true." Draco said.

"It really is the end of the world." Hermione whispered to Ron who nodded his head in agreement.

**January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, but Cris still hadn't ordered a new broom. She was now asking Professor McGonagall for news of the Firebolt after every Transfiguration lesson, Ron standing hopefully at her shoulder, Hermione rushing past with her face averted.**

**"No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told her the twelfth time this happened, before she'd even opened her mouth. "We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall tell you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me." **

"Sorry Professor, I just wanted the broom back." Cris said.

"I know, but all of us were just worried about you." McGonagall said.

**To make matters even worse, Cris' anti-Dementor lessons were not going nearly as well as she had hoped. Several sessions on, she was able to produce an indistinct, silvery shadow every time the Boggart-Dementor approached her,**

"But that is really good for someone of thirteen." Kingsley said his eyebrows rising in shock.

"Though it would help if you cleared your mind before you tried to attempt it." Robin said.

"I know; I was just really busy." Cris said.

**but her Patronus was too feeble to drive the Dementor away. All it did was hover, like a semitransparent cloud, draining Cris of energy as she fought to keep it there. Cris felt angry with herself, guilty about her secret desire to hear her parents' voices again.**

"**You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin, sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement. You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"**

"**I thought a Patronus would — charge the Dementors down or something," said Cris dispiritedly. "Make them disappear —"**

"**The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the Dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."**

"That is the true goal." Lily said.

"I would rather her not need though know how to use it." Prongs said.

"True," Lily said.

**"You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said Cris.**

**"I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. **

**"Here — you've earned a drink. Something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before —"**

**He pulled two bottles out of his briefcase.**

**"Butterbeer!" said Cris, without thinking. "Yeah, I like that stuff!"**

"Cris!" yelled the marauders, the twins, Bill and Charlie.

"I know, I was being stupid." Cris said.

"Please tell me that you came up with a good excuse." Prongs said.

"She did," Remus said with a chuckle.

**Lupin raised an eyebrow.**

**"Oh — Ron and Hermione brought me some back from Hogsmeade," Cris lied quickly.**

**"I see," said Lupin, though he still looked slightly suspicious. **

"It was a good excuse, but you can't lie to Moony, he sees right through it." Padfoot said.

"Well I didn't know that." Cris said sheepishly.

**"Well — let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher…" he added hastily.**

**They drank the butterbeer in silence, until Cris voiced something she'd been wondering for a while.**

**"What's under a Dementor's hood?"**

"Why did you have to ask that?" Tonks asked.

"I was curious." Cris said.

"I hate your curiosity sometimes." Tonks said.

"We all do," Lily said.

**Professor Lupin lowered his bottle thoughtfully.**

**"Hmmm… well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the Dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon."**

"The Kiss," all the witches and wizards said.

"That doesn't sound bad." Gwen said.

"That's because of the name; they actually suck the soul out of you until your nothing but a husk of your former self." Robin said. Gwen gasped and covered her mouth.

"That's terrible," Gwen said.

"I know," Sirius and Cris muttered.

**"What's that?"**

**"They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what Dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and — and suck out his soul."**

"Couldn't you have phrased that differently?" Lily asked.

"Not really," Remus said.

**Cris accidentally spat out a bit of butterbeer.**

**"What — they kill —?"**

**"Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no… anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever… lost." **

"The death sentence in the Muggle world would be kinder." Gwen said.

"Yes, it would be." Remus said.

**Lupin drank a little more butterbeer, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. **

"Wait what?" Sirius asked.

"Did you get any of the papers?" Remus asked.

"No, is that what the Minister said?" Sirius asked.

"Sadly," Robin said. Sirius gulped and Scarlett hugged her dead, afraid that he might disappear.

"It's alright Scar, I'm here." Sirius said.

**It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the Dementors permission to perform it if they find him."**

**Cris sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth. But then she thought of Black.**

**"He deserves it," she said suddenly, she instantly regretted. **

"I'm so sorry Sirius," Cris said.

"I've already told you that it's alright," Sirius said.

"I should have just trusted my gut," Cris said.

"You should, it is right most of the time." Remus said.

**"You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?"**

**"Yes," said Cris defiantly. "For… for some things…"**

**She would have liked to have told Lupin about the conversation she'd overheard about Black in the Three Broomsticks, about Black betraying her mother and father, but it would have involved revealing that she'd gone to Hogsmeade without permission, and she knew Lupin wouldn't be very impressed by that. The dream once again resurfaced in her head and it confused her even more. **

"I can understand that." Sirius said.

"It's a good thing you didn't tell me what you heard, otherwise I would have asked you." Remus said.

"I could have lied and said that Hermione told me." Cris said.

"I would have too," Hermione said, "Ron would have wanted to keep it from her."

"Yeah," Ron agreed.

"What are we going to do with you three?" Robin asked with a smile.

**So he finished his butterbeer, thanked Lupin, and left the History of Magic classroom.**

**Cris half wished that she hadn't asked what was under a Dementor's hood, the answer had been so horrible, and she was so lost in unpleasant thoughts of what it would feel like to have your soul sucked out of you that she walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs.**

**"Do watch where you're going, Potter!"**

**"Sorry, Professor —" **

"No wonder you looked distracted." McGonagall said.

**"I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room. Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all — you've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter…" **

"Or a very good godfather." Cris said.

"That I am," Sirius said with a smile.

**Cris' jaw dropped. She was holding out her Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever. **

"And there was absolutely no damage at all." Cris said with a smile.

"Good otherwise I would have to have a talk with Flitwick." Sirius said.

"You would have given him a heart attack." Robin said.

"I know, it would have been funny at first," Sirius said.

**"I can have it back?" Cris said weakly. "Seriously?"**

**"Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter —do try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night…"**

**Speechless, Cris carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. As she turned a corner, she saw Ron dashing toward her, grinning from ear to ear.**

**"She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"**

"Seriously Ron?" Lily asked.

"I know, I was being a dick," Ron said.

"So you don't think like that anymore?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"No, I'm just happy with the things I have and the friends I have." Ron said.

"Good," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile.

**"Yeah… anything…" said Cris, her heart lighter than it had been in a month. "You know what — we should make up with Hermione… She was only trying to help…"**

**"Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now working — for a change."**

**They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.**

**"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!" **

"Sorry about that Neville," Sirius said.

"So you got ahold of them?" Neville asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

"I really don't understand what's going on now," Neville said completely confused.

"It's okay; we'll explain it to you later." Cris said.

"Alright," Neville said.

**"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Cris and Ron: "Good even, my fine young people! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"**

**"Oh, shut up," said Ron as he and Cris drew level with Neville.**

**"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"**

**"Oddsbodkins," said Cris to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, Cris was surrounded by people exclaiming over her Firebolt.**

"You must have loved that." Tonks said with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah because I totally love the attention." Cris said sarcastically. This caused most of the room to laugh because they know that she hated the attention.

**"Where'd you get it, Cris?"**

**"Will you let me have a go?"**

**"Have you ridden it yet, Cris?"**

**"Ravenclaw'll have no chance; they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"**

**"Can I just hold it, Cris?"**

"Way to make it sound dirty." Padfoot said with a chuckle.

"Who was that anyway?" Remus asked.

"I think it was Lee." Cris said.

"It was," the twins said.

**After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was Passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and Cris and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Cris and Ron approached her table and at last, she looked up.**

**"I got it back," said Cris, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.**

**"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.**

**"Well — there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"**

**"Yeah, I suppose so," said Cris. "I'd better put it upstairs."**

"Good, make sure you hide it from sabotage." Charlie said.

"No one in Gryffindor would intentionally do that though." Ginny said.

"I know that." Charlie said going red.

**"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."**

"Sounds like Scabbers isn't going to last much longer." Charlie said.

"I wish," Sirius mumbled under his breath.

**He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.**

**"Can I sit down, then?" Cris asked Hermione.**

**"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.**

**Cris looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ('Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity') and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.**

**"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Cris asked her.**

**"Oh, well — you know — working hard," said Hermione. Close-up, Cris saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.**

"That you so much Bolt," Hermione said.

"You're very welcome," Cris said with a smirk

**"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Cris asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.**

**"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized.**

"You probably should, you are clearly overworked." Lily said.

"I did wind up dropping a few classes." Hermione said.

"Is one of them Divination?" Prongs asked.

"Possibly," Hermione said with a smile.

**"Arithmancy looks terrible," said Cris, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart. Though as she looked at it realized that she could have easily taken it.**

"Cris was always good at math in school." Gwen said. "Though I always wondered why she failed everything, but now I know."

"I was good with math as well." Lily said.

**"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favorite subject! It's —"**

**But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, Cris never found out. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bed sheet.**

"Why a bed sheet?" Moony asked.

"Because I found something on it." Ron said.

**"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.**

**"Ron, what —?"**

**"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"**

**Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Cris looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like —**

**"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"**

**"N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.**

**Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Hermione and Cris leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs. **

"Crookshanks ate Scabbers?" Padfoot asked.

"No, he didn't." the trio said.

"But the blood and the hairs, I don't get it." Prongs said.

"You'll find out in the later chapters." Hermione said.

"That's not cool." The marauders said.

"Well that's the chapter," Ginny said handing the book to Neville.


	17. Chapter 13: Gryffindor VS Ravenclaw

"**Chapter 13: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw," **Neville said.

"You better do this justice Neville," Charlie said.

"I'll try," Neville said with a smile.

"Good, otherwise we might have to take it from you." The quidditch nuts said.

**It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. **

"It's a good thing that it wasn't." Lily J said.

"Yeah, I really like our cousins." Al said.

"That's because we get into a lot of trouble with our cousins." James said.

"I really don't want to know." Cris and the twins said.

"Trust us, you don't," Scarlett, Keiran and Teddy said.

**Each was so angry with the other that Cris couldn't see how they'd ever make up. Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.**

**Personally, Cris was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when she tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she lost her temper with Cris too.**

"Sorry Cris," Hermione said.

"No problem, I know that you didn't mean anything by it." Cris said.

"That's good," Hermione said.

"**Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leave me alone, Cris, I've got a lot of work to do!"**

**Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.**

"**Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-color for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly — one swallow — he probably didn't feel a thing."**

"Did you really just say that?" Tonks asked.

"I did," Fred said with a smile.

"That's awesome!" Tonks exclaimed.

**"****Fred!" said Ginny indignantly.**

**"****All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.**

"That sounds like Wormtail." Prongs said. The reaction that followed was instant. Sirius and Remus growled, Robin was glaring and Cris, Ron and Hermione were fuming.

"What did I say?" Prongs asked.

"You'll understand later." Cris bit out. Prongs and Lily looked concerned at their daughter but didn't say anything else.

"**He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, Cris?"**

"**Yeah, that's true," said Cris.**

"**His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"**

**In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Cris persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment ("Great! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?") so they set off for the Quidditch field together.**

**Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Cris, was just as impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else had been. She took it in her hands before takeoff and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion. **

"I can't wait," Padfoot and Prongs said bouncing in their seats again.

**"****Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end — you often find they develop a drag after a few years. They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows — a pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too…"**

**She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er — Madam Hooch? Is it okay if Cris has the Firebolt back? We need to practice…"**

**"****Oh — right — here you are, then, Potter," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley…"**

**She and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.**

**"****Cris, I've just found out who Ravenclaw is playing as Seeker. It's Cho Chang. **

Cris glared at the book.

"Is that hatred I see in my daughter's eyes?" Prongs asked with a smirk.

"We don't get along very well." Cris said simply.

"That's an understatement." Hermione and Ron said.

**She's a fourth year, and she's pretty good… I really hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries…" Wood scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery, then said, "On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt." He gave Cris' broom a look of fervent admiration, then said, "Okay, everyone, let's go —"**

**And at long last, Cris mounted her Firebolt, and kicked off from the ground.**

**It was better than she'd ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey her thoughts rather than her grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a green-and-gray blur; Cris turned it so sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed, then she went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with her toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again —**

The quidditch nuts were literally drooling.

"Can I give it a go?" Prongs asked.

"Maybe," Cris said with a smile.

"Does that mean yes or no?" he asked.

"Possibly," Cris said with a smirk. Prongs pouted while everyone else was chuckling.

**"****Cris, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood called.**

**Cris turned and raced a Bludger toward the goal posts; she outstripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in her hand.**

"I wish our seeker was that good." Padfoot said.

"Well you can't have her, she's ours." Fred said.

"Besides it would be kind of hard to explain it to the team that my daughter from the future is playing seeker for us." Prongs said.

"Wow, that was actually smart." Lily said.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" Prongs asked.

"Because that doesn't sound like you." Lily said. Prongs huffed and crossed his arms.

**The team cheered madly. Cris let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; she spotted it lurking near Katie Bell's knee, looped her easily, and caught it again.**

**It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.**

**"****I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Not unless — Cris, you've sorted out your Dementor problem, haven't you?"**

**"****Yeah," said Cris, thinking of her feeble Patronus and wishing it were stronger.**

"I'm sure that it would be enough to get you to the ground safely." Sirius said. Cris smiled as well as those who saw it but didn't say anything else.

**"****The Dementors won't turn up again, Oliver. Dumbledore'd go ballistic," said Fred confidently.**

**"****Well, let's hope not," said Wood. "Anyway — good work everyone. Let's get back to the tower… turn in early…"**

**"****I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Cris told Wood, and while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms, Cris strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet her. Madam Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.**

"I'm so glad that you are being protected." McGonagall said.

"I'm fine," Cris said.

**"****Here you go," said Cris, handing Ron the Firebolt.**

**Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face, mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness while Cris walked around the edge of the field, watching him. **

**Night had fallen before Madam Hooch awoke with a start; told Cris and Ron off for not waking her, and insisted that they go back to the castle.**

**Cris shouldered the Firebolt and she and Ron walked out of the shadowy stadium, discussing the Firebolt's superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration, and its pinpoint turning. They were halfway toward the castle when Cris, glancing to her left, saw something that made her heart turn over — a pair of eyes, gleaming out of the darkness.**

"It's not Sirius again is it?" Remus asked.

"No, I was in the Shrieking Shack." Sirius said.

"Then what is it?" Robin asked.

**Cris stopped dead, her heart banging against her ribs.**

**"****What's the matter?" said Ron.**

**Cris pointed. Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos!"**

**A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.**

"There is something weird about that cat." Moony said.

"No kidding," Tonks said.

**"****Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.**

**"****See?" Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. "She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants — probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now…"**

"That's what cats do though." Charlie said.

"I know, but I was just upset about Scabbers." Ron said.

"So is Scabbers dead?" Percy asked sadly.

"No, he just got away from us." Hermione said.

"What?" some of the room asked.

"You'll see," the trio, Remus, and Sirius said.

"No fair," the marauders and Lily said.

**Cris didn't say anything. She took a deep breath as relief seeped through her; she had been sure for a moment that those eyes had belonged to the Grim. They set off for the castle once more. Slightly ashamed of her moment of panic, Cris didn't say anything to Ron — nor did she look left or right until they had reached the well-lit entrance hall.**

**Cris went down to breakfast the next morning with the rest of the boys in her dormitory, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honor. As Cris entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Cris saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.**

"I loved the look on their faces." Cris said.

"What do you expect; it was the last thing on our minds." Draco said.

"I would have paid to have seen their faces." Charlie said.

**"****Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Malfoy. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"**

**Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.**

**"****Put it here, Cris," he said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upward. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look. Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Cris on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus,**

"That's good that he cared." Sirius said.

"Well yeah, he felt bad after I fell off." Cris said thinking back to the kiss they shared.

**and Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold the Firebolt.**

**"****Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely. "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"**

**Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Cris, and went back to her table.**

**"****Cristal — make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. "I haven't got ten Galleons. **

"Percy, always make sure that you have the money required for a bet." Bill said.

"I know, I was being stupid." Percy said.

**Yes, I'm coming, Penny!" And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.**

**"****Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.**

"What are you going to say?" Sirius asked.

"Something stupid." Draco said.

"Obviously," Remus said.

**Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him.**

**"****Yeah, reckon so," said Cris casually.**

**"****Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a Dementor."**

**Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.**

**"****Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Cris. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."**

"Nice one Cris," Charlie said.

"You definitely have your mother's wit." Prongs said.

"Which could get her into trouble because she also has your sense of humor." Lily said.

"We've already established this." Snape said.

"So what," Lily snapped glaring at him. Snape was smart enough not to say anything so he kept quiet and let Neville continued reading.

**The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Cris' broom really was a Firebolt.**

"Yes, yes it is." Cris said with a smirk.

"I know," Draco said grudgingly.

**At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time, and Cris, though nervous, was starting to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Cris took off her black school robes, removed her wand from her pocket, and stuck it inside the T-shirt she was going to wear under her Quidditch robes. She only hoped she wouldn't need it. She wondered suddenly whether Professor Lupin was in the crowd, watching.**

"I would only miss it if I was sick." Remus said.

"I know," Cris said.

**"****You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running, just — just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"**

**They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the field. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team. She was shorter than Cris by about a head. She smiled at Cris but she could tell that it was forced. Cris was wondering if she liked Cedric and was mad about the slight flirts she and Cedric did. **

"So how often do you get into these fits of anger towards the girl?" Lily asked.

"Not sure, but at least every time we see each since Cedric's death." Cris said.

"Does she blame you?" Robin asked.

"I think she does, but I don't exactly know for sure." Cris said sadly.

**"****Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain.**

**"****Mount your brooms… on my whistle… three — two — one —"**

**Cris kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; she soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.**

**"****They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Cristal Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —" **

"That's Lee for you." George said.

"Does he have a death wish?" Remus asked.

"No, he just isn't afraid of McGonagall." Fred said.

"Good, the commentary is the most entertaining part of the game." Moony said.

"Especially when you're doing it." Prongs said.

**"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.**

**"Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"**

**"Jordan!"**

**"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor, heading for goal…"**

**Cris streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold and noticing that Cho Chang was tailing her closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier — she kept cutting across her, forcing her to change direction which was really starting to get on Cris' nerves.**

"It would get on my nerves as well." Ginny said.

"Just knock her off the damn broom." Prongs said. Lily slapped him upside the head.

"Don't tell our daughter that!" Lily screeched.

"Yes, Lily-Flower." Prongs said.

**"Show her your acceleration, Cris!" Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia.**

**Cris urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts and Cho fell behind. Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild, she saw it — the Snitch was close to the ground, flitting near one of the barriers.**

"Get it!" cried most of the room. Cris chuckled at everyone there.

**Cris dived; Cho saw what she was doing and tore after her — Cris was speeding up, excitement flooding her; dives were her specialty, she was ten feet away —**

**Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Cris veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished. **

"Dang it," Prongs said.

"It's okay, it's still early." Lily said patting his shoulder.

**There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.**

**"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision — balance is really noticeable in these long —"**

**"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"**

"I really like your friend." Padfoot said through his chuckles.

"We do to, he can't play worth a damn but he can commentate." George said.

"That's true; he nearly crashed when he tried out." Fred said.

"I remember that," Charlie said with a laugh remembering the try out.

**Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead — if Cho got the Snitch before her, Ravenclaw would win. Cris dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the field frantically — a glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings — the Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goal post…**

**Cris accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead — but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking her —**

**"CRIS, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE NICE!" Wood roared as Cris swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!" **

"Don't tell her that!" Lily shouted at the book.

"Lils, it's just a book." Prongs said. Lily glared at him and Prongs shrunk away.

**Cris turned and caught sight of Cho; she was grinning. The Snitch had vanished again. Cris turned her Firebolt upward and was soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cho following her… She'd decided to mark her rather than search for the Snitch herself… All right, then… if she wanted to tail her, she'd have to take the consequences…**

"That's my girl." Prongs said with a proud smile.

**She dived again, and Cho, thinking she'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow; Cris pulled out of the dive very sharply; she hurtled downward; she rose fast as a bullet once more, and then saw it, for the third time — the Snitch was glittering way above the field at the Ravenclaw end.**

**She accelerated; so, many feet below, did Cho. She was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second — then —**

**"Oh!" screamed Cho, pointing.**

**Distracted, Cris looked down.**

**Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at her.**

"That's not right," Tonks said.

"They aren't affecting you." Moony said.

"So just some idiots then." Padfoot said.

"Maybe," Moony said.

**She didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of her robes, she whipped out her wand and roared, "Expecto patronum!"**

**Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of her wand. **

**She knew it had shot directly at the Dementors but didn't pause to watch; her mind still miraculously clear, she looked ahead — she was nearly there. She stretched out the hand still grasping her wand and just managed to close her fingers over the small, struggling Snitch. **

"You did it! Not only did you win the game but you produced a Patronus." Sirius said. She was then twirled around by George.

"George! Put me down!" Cris screeched. Laughing George stopped spinning and sat back down on the couch with the twins on either side of her giving her a kiss.

**Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Cris turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on her; next moment, the whole team was hugging her so hard she was nearly pulled off her broom. Down below she could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.**

**"That's my girl!" Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina, and Katie had all hugged Cris; **

"You guys are in the running!" Prongs exclaimed.

"Did you win the cup that year?" Padfoot asked.

"I won't divulge anything." Cris said.

**Fred had her in a grip so tight Cris felt as though her head would come off. In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Cris got off her broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead. Before she knew it, she had been engulfed by the cheering crowd.**

"**Yes!" Ron yelled, yanking Cris' arm into the air. "Yes! Yes!"**

"**Well done, Cristal!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me —" **

"At least we won, what would you have done if we lost?" Charlie asked.

"I hadn't thought of that." Percy said going red.

"Maybe you shouldn't bet if you don't have the funds for it." Bill said. Percy nodded and Neville continued to read.

**"Good for you, Cris!" roared Seamus Finnigan.**

**"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.**

**"That was quite some Patronus," said a voice in Cris' ear.**

"What shape does it take?" Prongs asked.

"You'll have to find out dad," Cris said with a smile.

**Cris turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.**

"So whatever shape it took shocked Moony." Padfoot said.

"I was very proud of you." Remus said.

"I could tell," Cris said with a smile.

**"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Cris said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"**

**"That would be because they — er — weren't Dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see —"**

**He led Cris out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field.**

**"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin. **

"Why the hell would you go and do that for?" Lily yelled at the blonde.

"It was Flint's idea; he wanted to see if she would fall off again, we weren't expecting that she had been taking lessons to learn how to defend herself from them." Draco said.

"Why wouldn't she take the lessons?" Prongs asked.

"I don't know, they were being stupid." Draco said.

"At least he admits it." Ron said.

**Cris stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.**

**"An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"**

**If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way through to Cris' side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it.**

**"Come on, Cris!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"**

"I love our parties." Charlie said.

"They are the best." Sirius said.

"That's because there are always people who sneak into the kitchens." Padfoot said.

"That is very true." Fred said.

**"Right," said Cris, and feeling happier than she had in ages, she and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.**

**It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets. **

"You two snuck into Hogsmeade?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well, um, no." George said. Mrs. Weasley glared at the twins but didn't say anything else as she knew that they had and had that they at least paid for it.

**"How did you do that?" squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.**

**"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Kit" Fred muttered in Cris' ear.**

All of them stood and bowed though Robin was a little more careful.

"And you yelled at us for getting into trouble." Keiran said.

"But that's our job as parents." Robin said.

"I know, but still, what can you expect from children of marauders?" Scarlett asked with a cheeky smile. Cris and Teddy had that same smile on their faces as well.

"I really need to retire before Keiran Black comes to school." McGonagall said.

"I suspect that you won't though." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"No probably not." McGonagall said.

**Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Cris broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.**

**"Did you even come to the match?" she asked her.**

**"Of course I did," said Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."**

**"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Cris said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.**

**"I can't, Cris. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway…" She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in."**

**There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them —"**

"Pete liked those too." Prongs muttered to the ones around him. They nodded in agreement; Scabbers did sound a lot like their friend.

**Hermione burst into tears. Before Cris could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.**

**"Can't you give her a break?" Cris asked Ron quietly.**

**"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry — but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something." **

"Ron, you're a prat you know that right?" Charlie asked.

"I know, I was being an idiot." Ron said.

"Good, now that you admit it," Bill said.

**The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed. Cris and Ron climbed the stairs to their dormitory, still discussing the match. At last, exhausted, Cris climbed into bed, twitched the hangings of her four-poster shut to block out a ray of moonlight, lay back, and felt herself almost instantly drifting off to sleep…**

**She had a very strange dream. She was walking through a forest, her Firebolt over her shoulder, following something silvery-white. It was winding its way through the trees ahead, and she could only catch glimpses of it between the leaves. Anxious to catch up with it, she sped up, but as she moved faster, so did her quarry. Cris broke into a run, and ahead she heard hooves gathering speed. Now she was running flat out, and ahead he could hear galloping. Then she turned a corner into a clearing and —**

**"AAARRGGHH! NOOO!"**

"Wait, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Hopefully nothing dangerous and it was just a nightmare though." Lily said.

**Cris woke as suddenly as though she'd been hit in the face. Disoriented in the total darkness, she fumbled with her hangings, she could hear movements around her, and Seamus Finnigan's voice from the other side of the room.**

**"What's going on?"**

**Cris thought she heard the dormitory door slam. At last finding the divide in her curtains, she ripped them back, and at the same moment, Dean Thomas lit his lamp.**

**Ron was sitting up in bed, the hangings torn from one side, a look of utmost terror on his face.**

**"Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!" **

"What the hell Siri?" Robin asked.

"I wanted the rat, I wasn't thinking straight." Sirius said.

"No, just scaring the hell out of a bunch of third years." Tonks said.

"So I'm going after the rat?" Padfoot asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said but didn't say anything else.

**"What?"**

**"Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"**

"Exactly, if he was after Cris he wouldn't know that she slept in the boy's dorm and wouldn't have been able to go up to the girl's dorm to get to her." Robin said.

"We should have moved her that year." McGonagall said.

"I'm glad you didn't otherwise I would've become a killer myself." Cris said.

"What does that mean?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Lavender and Pavarti are impossible to be around." Cris said.

"They can't be that bad, can they?" Tonks asked.

"Worse than you can imagine." Hermione, Ginny and Cris said.

"I don't think we want to know." Remus said.

**"You sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" said Dean.**

**"Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!"**

**They all scrambled out of bed; Cris reached the dormitory door first, and they sprinted back down the staircase. Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them.**

**"Who shouted?"**

**"What're you doing?"**

**The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted.**

**"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"**

**"I'm telling you, I saw him!"**

**"What's all the noise?"**

**"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"**

**A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.**

**"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.**

"Fred!" Bill and Charlie exclaimed.

"What, how was I supposed to know that Sirius was attempting to kill a rat?" Fred asked.

"True," Bill and Charlie said.

**"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.**

"Good grief, that is a little bit mental." Bill said.

**"Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"**

**The common room went very still.**

**"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —" **

"Percy, really? Ron would never lie about something like that." Bill said.

"If your brother says something like than then go and check it out." Charlie said.

**"I'm telling you —"**

**"Now, really, enough's enough!"**

**Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.**

**"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!" **

"I'm sorry; I didn't know that this was going on before I accused you." McGonagall said.

**"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"**

**"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"**

**Professor McGonagall stared at him.**

**"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"**

**"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw —"**

**Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"**

**"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan. **

"That's why the Fat Lady is the best guardian for Gryffindor tower." Remus said.

**There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.**

**"You — you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But — but the password!"**

**"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"**

"Neville!" Lily exclaimed.

"It's not my fault that I'm forgetful." Neville said.

"No, but you still should have been responsible with that slip." Tonks said.

"I want to know how Sirius got a hold the list." Prongs said.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Sirius said with a smirk.

**Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.**

**"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"**

**There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air. **

"How much trouble did you get into?" Sirius asked.

"You'll find out, but it wasn't that bad." Neville said.

"Good, cause I felt bad about that." Sirius said.

"It's okay Sirius," Neville said. "That's the chapter."

Neville handed the book to Charlie who opened up the next chapter.


	18. Chapter 14: Snape's Grudge

"**Chapter 14: Snape's Grudge," **Charlie read.

"Great, what the hell does Snape do now?" Prongs asked.

"Something," Cris said.

"I really hate that," Padfoot said.

**No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.**

**Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes.**

"That's a bit extreme." Lily said.

**Sir Cadogan had been fired.**

The group except the teachers cheered.

"I was really beginning to hate the knight." Ron said.

"I think we all did by the time all was said and done." Ginny said.

"That's true." Cris and Hermione said.

**His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.**

"Why trolls, why couldn't you have a couple Aurors standing guard?" Lily asked.

"I gave her the choice, she choose trolls." Dumbledore said.

"They were almost as annoying as the knight." Hermione said.

"I find that hard to believe." Tonks said.

"Just wait, it's not like the way as Cadogan just intimidating." Cris said.

"Now, that I can see." Robin said.

**Cris couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they — and now Cris, Ron, and Hermione — were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it.**

"Don't forget about the marauders." Prongs said.

"Of course," Cris said with a smile.

**"****D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Cris asked Ron.**

**"****We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," said Ron dismissively. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."**

"Well not really," Fred said.

"I hadn't thought about that and I didn't know whether or not Sirius would know about the passageway." Cris said.

"I know," Sirius said with a chuckle.

**Cris was glad Ron took this view. If the one-eyed witch was boarded up too, she would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again.**

"You shouldn't have had to sneak out. In fact you shouldn't have snuck out." Lily said.

"What can I say; I am the daughter of a marauder." Cris said. Scarlett smiled and nodded as well.

"I can agree with that." Scarlett said.

"Oh dear lord." Robin said.

"And that is why you work at Hogwarts Aunt Robin." Teddy said.

"Yeah, I can see that." Robin said.

**Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Cris, **

"I'm so sorry Cris," Ron said.

"Ron, I already forgave you, besides I would rather not have all the attention." Cris said.

"We know," Ron and Hermione said.

"Good," Cris said.

**and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.**

"And it was exaggerated with every retelling." Cris said with a laugh.

"Really now?" Sirius asked.

"Yep," Ginny said.

"This should be good." Sirius said rubbing his hands together with glee.

**"… I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft… I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down… I rolled over… and I saw him standing over me… like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair… holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches… and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered. **

"A twelve inch knife? It was only a three inch blade from the pocket knife I once left in the Shack." Sirius said.

"So I really looked like that then?" Padfoot asked.

"Azkaban does that to people." Sirius said in an emotionless voice.

"It'll be okay dad." Keiran said hugging him.

"Thanks," Sirius muttered.

**"Why, though?" Ron added to Cris as the group of second year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he run?"**

**Cris had been wondering the same thing. Why had Black not gone to the girls tower if he was after her. He must have realized that she wouldn't be in there. 'That's because he's not after you.' A voice said. Cris was confused, should she listen to the voice or should she trust the story?**

"Listen to the voice," Lily said.

"Mum, you do know that this has already happened, right?" Cris asked.

"So do you listen to the voice?" Robin asked.

"Maybe." Cris said with a smirk.

"I really hate that answer." Tonks said.

**Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing four unarmed boys and an unarmed girl, four of whom were asleep. 'That's because he was after something else,' the voice said.**

**"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up," said Cris thoughtfully. "He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the portrait hole… then he would've met the teachers…" **

**Neville was in total disgrace. **

"Of course I was; I let an accused murderer into our house." Neville said.

"But I wouldn't have killed anyone, just a rat." Sirius said.

**Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler. **

"That was a little harsh." Tonks said.

"I know, I didn't mean to, I just lose everything." Neville said.

"I'm sure it won't be that way for long." Lily said.

"It won't be, with a little bit of confidence he'll grow." Victoire said. The future kids nodded in agreement.

"How bad was the Howler?" Sirius asked.

"I was able to get into the entrance hall before it went off." Neville said.

"That's good," Sirius said.

**The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Cris and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before.**

**"Run for it, Neville," Ron advised.**

"I did," Neville said.

"That's good," Remus said.

**Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.**

"That's changed now," Lily J said.

"Really?" Neville asked.

"Yep, your Gran is very proud of you in the future." Al said.

"See, you're going to do great in the future." Ginny said. Neville nodded and blushed but didn't say anything else. Mrs. Weasley was watching the two and it was just like how Cris, Fred and George look at each other and was happy with the choice her daughter made.

**Cris was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that she had a letter too. Hedwig got her attention by nipping her sharply on the wrist.**

"That hurts," Ron, Hermione and Sirius said.

"Sorry, I was just annoyed." Cris said.

"We know pup, and I really wanted to tell you but we couldn't." Sirius said.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Cris said.

"Now I'm really confused." Lily J said.

"You mean I didn't tell you about that?" Cris asked.

"Apparently not," James said.

"You'll see in the fifth book then." Cris said.

"Now I can see what you guys feel like." Scarlett said.

"Now you feel our pain." Padfoot said.

**"Ouch! Oh — thanks, Hedwig."**

**Cris tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes.**

"I love your owl, I'm happy to share with her." Neville said.

"Good, because I don't think I could stop her if you weren't okay with it." Cris said.

"Nah, it's fine." Neville said.

**The note inside said:**

_**Dear Cris and Ron,**_

_**How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.**_

_**Cheers,**_

_**Hagrid **_

"Why not Hermione?" Robin asked.

"He wanted to know why the two of them were fighting." Cris said.

"Well that's reason enough." Tonks said.

**"He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron.**

**So at six o'clock that afternoon, Cris and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run, and headed down to the entrance hall.**

**Hagrid was already waiting for them.**

**"All right, Hagrid!" said Ron. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"**

**"I've already heard all abou' it," said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.**

**"Oh," said Ron, looking slightly put out.**

"Did you really want to tell it again?" Prongs asked.

"I wasn't used to the attention; I didn't know what to do." Ron said.

"It's probably hard being friends with me." Cris said.

"No I love it," Ron said. Cris looked at him and realized that it was just her fame that made him uncomfortable.

**The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting her eyes from this unpleasant sight, Cris saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door. **

"It was very horrible." Cris said.

"Hagrid has always had a horrible fashion taste." Tonks said.

"Yeah, he has." Lily and Robin said.

**"What are they for, Hagrid?" said Cris.**

**"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," said Hagrid. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus…"**

"I can't picture that." Prongs said.

"I don't think Stan will like it." Lily said.

"I still think that it will be funny to see." Padfoot said.

"Only you," Robin said smiling at the younger version of her fiancé.

"Thank you Kit," Padfoot said.

**Cris felt a nasty pang of guilt. She had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds.**

"Not only that, but your godfather's arrival and the extra lessons kind of kept you preoccupied." Remus said.

"I know, but I still felt bad about it." Cris said.

"And that makes you a good person." Robin said.

**Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.**

**"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.**

**"What?" said Cris.**

**"Hermione," said Hagrid.**

"Did you forget about me?" Hermione asked.

"No, in fact I wanted to talk to you about the little voice and what I was feeling." Cris said.

"Did you?" Lily asked.

"Maybe,"

"Possibly,"

"That means yes," Remus said.

**"What about her?" said Ron.**

**"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat —"**

"Ate a rat, because that is what cats do." Charlie said finishing the sentence in the book.

"Does it really say that?" Bill asked.

"No, I just wanted to say that." Charlie said.

"Is he still like this?" Bill asked.

"Yes," Teddy said while the rest nodded their head.

**"– ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.**

**"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind… She's found some really good stuff fer me… reckon he'll stand a good chance now…"**

"Let's hope that he does well then." Tonks said.

"I have a feeling that he won't though." Kingsley said.

"If it had to do with Hagrid being half giant than that is complete and utter bullshit." Charlie said.

"Charles!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"What? It's true." Charlie said.

"Just continue reading son," Mr. Weasley said. Charlie nodded and he continued.

**"Hagrid, we should've helped as well — sorry —" Cris began awkwardly.**

**"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Cris' apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be getting' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all." **

"I did, I was just very busy." Cris said.

"It's okay, Hagrid just knows how to use guilt trips very well." Padfoot said.

"So does Remus," Sirius said.

"I know," Cris said.

**Cris and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.**

**"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her —"**

**"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"**

**"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. **

"He should know," Sirius said.

"Ah yes, Fang, Fluffy, Norberta, just to name a few." Bill said.

"Fluffy and Norberta? I'm guessing those are dangerous creatures then." Gwen said.

"Yeah, Fluffy is a Cerberus and Norberta is a dragon." Hermione said.

"They're real? Man the more I learn the more that I wish that I was a witch as well." Gwen said.

"It would make hanging out easier." Cris said.

"Yeah, it would." Gwen said.

**Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow.**

"Now that's true love." Kingsley said.

"I'll make sure to that to your future wife." Tonks said.

"Please don't," Kingsley said, "Otherwise I'll tell Remus just how many times you had to take the test to become an Auror." He smirked and Tonks glared at him.

"You wouldn't dare," Tonks said.

"Alright, then we don't tell." Kingsley said.

"Deal," Tonks said. During this session everyone was chuckling.

**They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.**

**A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room.**

"**Hogsmeade, next weekend!" said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. "What d'you reckon?" he added quietly to Cris as they went to sit down.**

"**Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes…" Cris said, even more quietly.**

"**Cris!" said a voice in her right ear. Cris started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her.**

"**Cris, if you go into Hogsmeade again… I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione.**

"Don't!" the marauders and the twins said.

"She/I didn't," Cris, Ron and Hermione said.

"You should have." McGonagall said.

"Sorry Professor, what can I say, they bring out the rebel in me." Hermione said.

**"Can you hear someone talking, Cris?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.**

"Just so you know; I really wanted to hit you there." Cris said.

"I'm happy that you didn't." Ron said grimacing slightly.

**"Ron, how can you let her go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell —"**

**"So now you're trying to get Cris expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"**

"Ron! How on earth did the two of you get married is absolutely a mystery to me." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'm sure you'll find out grandma," Victoire said.

"It's a very interesting story," Keiran said.

"I can't wait to hear it." Cris said with a smile.

**Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.**

**"So how about it?" Ron said to Cris as though there had been no interruption. "Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"**

**Cris looked around to check that Hermione was well out of earshot.**

**"Okay," she said. "But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time."**

"That's a good idea." Sirius said.

"But totally irresponsible!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.

"It's already happened Mrs. Weasley." Cris said.

"But still, you should have been more responsible than this." She said.

"What can I say?" Cris asked. People chuckled and Charlie continued.

**On Saturday morning, Cris packed her Invisibility Cloak in her bag, slipped the Marauder's Map into her pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else. Hermione kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at her, but she avoided her eye and was careful to let her see her walking back up the marble staircase in the entrance hall as everybody else proceeded to the front doors.**

**"Bye!" Cris called to Ron. "See you when you get back!"**

**Ron grinned and winked.**

**Cris hurried up to the third floor, slipping the Marauder's Map out of her pocket as she went. Crouching behind the one-eyed witch, she smoothed it out. A tiny dot was moving in her direction. Cris squinted at it. The minuscule writing next to it read Neville Longbottom.**

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you weren't allowed to go." Padfoot said.

"That will make it hard for Cris to sneak out." Prongs said.

"I wonder what she does to get out of it." Padfoot said.

**Cris quickly pulled out her wand, muttered, "Dissendium!" and shoved her bag into the statue, but before she could climb in herself, Neville came around the corner.**

**"Cris! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!"**

**"Hi, Neville," said Cris, moving swiftly away from the statue and pushing the map back into her pocket. "What are you up to?"**

**"Nothing," shrugged Neville. "Want a game of Exploding Snap?"**

**"Er — not now — I was going to go to the library and do that vampire essay for Lupin —" **

"I don't like being an excuse." Remus said.

"Well, I already had it done." Cris said.

"That's just like your mum." Prongs said.

"That's a good thing James," Lily said.

**"I'll come with you!" said Neville brightly. "I haven't done it either!"**

**"Er — hang on — yeah, I forgot, I finished it last night!"**

**"Great, you can help me!" said Neville, his round face anxious. "I don't understand that thing about the garlic at all — do they have to eat it, or —"**

"It's just the smell that helps keep them away." Remus said.

"Thank you Professor Moony." Prongs said. Remus rolled his eyes but he was inwardly smiling, he dearly missed his old friend.

**He broke off with a small gasp, looking over Cris' shoulder.**

**It was Snape. Neville took a quick step behind Cris.**

"Yeah, cause hiding behind a girl is a good thing." Snape sneered.

"Unless the girl is Cris, then it's fine." Ron said.

"That's because Mum is badass." James said.

"Thanks, I guess." Cris said.

**"And what are you two doing here?" said Snape, coming to a halt and looking from one to the other. "An odd place to meet —"**

**To Cris' immense disquiet, Snape's black eyes flicked to the doorways on either side of them, and then to the one-eyed witch. **

"I had no idea what was going on." Snape said.

"Good," Prongs said.

"**We're not — meeting here," said Cris. "We just — met here." **

"That's true," Lily said.

"**Indeed?" said Snape. "You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are very rarely there for no good reason… I suggest the pair of you return to Gryffindor Tower, where you belong."**

"They are allowed out of the Tower." McGonagall said, "Though at the moment that is the safest place for her to be."

"But then I would have been bored and more than likely join Fred and George in pranking." Cris said. McGonagall looked pale at the thought of it.

"I'm glad that you didn't." McGonagall said.

"You're welcome Professor," Cris said with a cheeky smile.

**Cris and Neville set off without another word. As they turned the corner, Cris looked back. Snape was running one of his hands over the one-eyed witch's head, examining it closely.**

**Cris managed to shake Neville off at the Fat Lady by telling him the password, then pretending she'd left her vampire essay in the library and doubling back. **

"That's kind of rude." Lily said.

"I know; I just wanted to get out of the castle though." Cris said.

"I can totally understand that," Lily J said.

"Why do you say that?" Fred asked.

"Because, that is until our sister is born, I am the only girl in the family full of brothers." Lily J said.

"I can understand that one. Why didn't you have more girls?" Ginny asked Cris.

"I can't exactly control what the gender is, Ginny, Lily J could have been a boy and all our boys could have been girls. Gender is completely random." Cris said.

"That's true." Lily said.

**Once out of sight of the security trolls, she pulled out the map again and held it close to her nose.**

**The third floor corridor seemed to be deserted. Cris scanned the map carefully and saw, with a leap of relief, that the tiny dot labeled Severus Snape was now back in its office.**

**She sprinted back to the one-eyed witch, opened her hump, heaved herself inside, and slid down to meet her bag at the bottom of the stone chute. She wiped the Marauder's Map blank again, then set off at a run.**

**Cris, completely hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, emerged into the sunlight outside Honeydukes and prodded Ron in the back.**

"No wonder it took you forever." Ron said.

"Sorry, escaping takes time." Cris said.

**"It's me," she muttered.**

**"What kept you?" Ron hissed.**

**"Snape was hanging around."**

**They set off up the High Street.**

**"Where are you?" Ron kept muttering out of the corner of his mouth. "Are you still there? This feels weird…" **

"It always is." Sirius, Remus, Scarlett, Teddy, Keiran, Victoire, Ron and Hermione said.

"Do I want to know?" Lily asked.

"Probably not," Cris, Prongs, Lily J, James, Al said.

**They went to the post office; Ron pretended to be checking the price of an owl to Bill in Egypt so that Cris could have a good look around. The owls sat hooting softly down at her, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays right down to tiny little Scops owls ("Local Deliveries Only"), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Cris' hand. **

"It's Pig!" Lily J exclaimed.

"That damn little Owl is still alive?" Ron asked surprised.

"Yeah," James said.

"That's crazy for that tiny little owl." Charlie said.

"You have an Owl named Pig?" Prongs asked.

"I didn't name him, Ginny did." Ron said.

"His name is Pigwidgeon." Ginny said.

"Like that's any better." Padfoot said.

"Enough, Charlie, continue," Mrs. Weasley said.

**Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students Cris had to exercise great care not to tread on anyone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams; Cris gave Ron whispered orders and passed him some gold from under the cloak. They left Zonko's with their money bags considerably lighter than they had been on entering, but their pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece.**

"Sounds fun," Prongs said.

"It was," Cris said with a smile.

**The day was fine and breezy, and neither of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.**

**"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it," said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. "I asked Nearly Headless Nick… he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut…"**

"Not all of them." Cris said.

"You've been inside?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, it's in the later chapters." Cris said.

"Alright, it better have been a good reason and not for fun." Lily said.

"Yes mum," Cris said with a smile.

**Cris, feeling hot from their climb, was just considering taking off the cloak for a few minutes when they heard voices nearby. Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy had appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking.**

**"… should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm… about how I couldn't use it for three months…"**

"That's a lode of bull," Sirius said.

"It was my Father; he really wanted me to act like him." Draco said with a visible shudder.

"I can sympathize with you; I never wanted to be like my family as well." Sirius said.

**Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.**

**"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself… 'There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest —'… That Hippogriff's as good as dead —"**

**Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Ron. His pale face split in a malevolent grin.**

**"What are you doing, Weasley?"**

**Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron.**

**"Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room — is that true?"**

"I'm sorry about that." Draco said.

"Are you sure that you're not someone under the influence of the Imperious or Polyjuice Potion?" Ron asked.

"Fairly sure," Draco said.

"Alright, if you're sure, just know that I'm not fully forgiving you until you do something to prove it." Ron said.

"I can deal with that." Draco said.

"This may work out for the best." Dumbledore whispered to his colleague who nodded in agreement.

**Cris seized the back of Ron's robes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy.**

**"Leave him to me," she hissed in Ron's ear.**

**The opportunity was too perfect to miss. Cris crept silently around behind Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, bent down, and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path.**

"You didn't," Sirius said.

"I did," Cris said.

"So I really did see you." Draco said.

"Yep, sorry," Cris said.

**"We were just discussing your friend Hagrid," Malfoy said to Ron. "Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's —"**

**SPLAT!**

**Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silver blond hair was suddenly dripping in muck. **

"Man, I wish I could have seen your face." Bill said.

"It was priceless." Cris and Ron laughed.

**"What the —?"**

**Ron had to hold onto the fence to keep himself standing, he was laughing so hard. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around, Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean.**

**"What was that? Who did that?"**

**"Very haunted up here, isn't it?" said Ron, with the air of one commenting on the weather.**

"I love it!" Padfoot said laughing.

"Very haunted up here, how did you come up with it?" George said.

"I don't know," Ron said.

**Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape.**

**Cris sneaked along the path, where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul-smelling, green sludge.**

**SPLATTER!**

**Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes.**

**"It came from over there!" said Malfoy, wiping his face, and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of Cris. **

"Oh god, I really love this." Bill said through his laughter.

"Why didn't you tell me about this in your letters?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," Cris said through her giggles.

**Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. Cris dodged around him, picked up a stick, and lobbed it at Crabbe's back. Cris doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it. As Ron was the only person Crabbe could see, it was Ron he started toward, but Cris stuck out his leg. Crabbe stumbled — and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of Cris' cloak. Cris felt a great tug, then the cloak slid off her face. **

"Get the hell out of there!" Prongs shouted.

"Um, Dad, you do realize that this has already happened right?" Cris asked.

"Oh yeah," Prongs said with a chuckle.

**For a split second, Malfoy stared at her.**

**"AAARGH!" he yelled, pointing at Cris' head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

**Cris tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done.**

**"Cris!" Ron said, stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where Cris had disappeared, "you'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone — you'd better get back to the castle, quick —" **

"How fast can you get there?" Robin asked.

"Not fast enough." Cris said.

"Great," Padfoot said.

**"See you later," said Cris, and without another word, she tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade.**

**Would Malfoy believe what she had seen? Would anyone believe Malfoy? Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak — nobody except Dumbledore. Cris' stomach turned over — Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened, if Malfoy said anything —**

**Back into Honeydukes, back down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trapdoor — Cris pulled off the cloak, tucked it under her arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage… Malfoy would get back first… how long would it take him to find a teacher? Panting, a sharp pain in her side, Cris didn't slow down until she reached the stone slide. She would have to leave the cloak where it was, it was too much of a giveaway in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher — **

"I hope you can get it back." Prongs said.

"Oh, I do, I just didn't get it myself." Cris said.

"Then who did?" Padfoot asked.

"That's for me to know,"

"And you to find out." Hermione finished.

"Not cool," Tonks said.

**she hid it in a shadowy corner, then started to climb, fast as she could, her sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute. She reached the inside of the witch's hump, tapped it with her wand, stuck her head through, and hoisted herself out; the hump closed, and just as Cris jumped out from behind the statue, she heard quick footsteps approaching.**

**It was Snape. **

"Great, just the person you don't want to run into." Robin said.

"I hope you got out of this." Sirius said.

"I'm not saying anything." Cris said with a secret smile to Remus.

**He approached Cris at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, then stopped in front of him.**

**"So," he said.**

**There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. Cris tried to look innocent, all too aware of her sweaty face and her muddy hands, which she quickly hid in her pockets.**

"If that face is anything like Prongs' than it won't work." Moony said.

"It is," Remus said. Cris pouted which the twins thought was adorable.

**"Come with me, Potter," said Snape.**

**Cris followed him downstairs, trying to wipe her hands clean on the inside of her robes without Snape noticing. They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office.**

**Cris had been in here only once before, and she had been in very serious trouble then too. Snape had acquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere.**

**"Sit," said Snape.**

**Cris sat. Snape, however, remained, standing.**

**"Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter," said Snape.**

**Cris didn't say anything.**

**"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone."**

**Still, Cris didn't speak.**

**"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"**

**Cris tried to look mildly surprised.**

**"I don't know, Professor."**

**Snape's eyes were boring into Cris'. It was exactly like trying to stare down a Hippogriff. Cris tried hard not to blink.**

"Don't do that," Remus said.

"I know," Cris said glaring at the Potion's Master.

**"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?"**

**"No," said Cris, now trying to sound innocently curious.**

**"It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair."**

"Got to admit it did sound very out there." Robin said.

**There was a long silence.**

**"Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey," said Cris. "If he's seeing things like —"**

"Oh dear god, that was so a Lily response." Prongs said.

**"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" said Snape softly. "Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade."**

**"I know that," said Cris, striving to keep her face free of guilt or fear. "It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin —" **

"You should always have an alibi." Padfoot said.

"I know," Cris said.

**"Malfoy is not having hallucinations," snarled Snape, and he bent down, a hand on each arm of Cris' chair, so that their faces were a foot apart. "If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you."**

**"I've been up in Gryffindor Tower," said Cris. "Like you told —"**

**"Can anyone confirm that?" **

"And that is why," Prongs said.

**Cris didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile.**

**"So," he said, straightening up again. "Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Cristal Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Cristal Potter is a law unto herself. Let the ordinary people worry about her safety! Famous Cristal Potter goes where she wants to, with no thought for the consequences."**

**Cris stayed silent. Snape was trying to provoke her into telling the truth. She wasn't going to do it. Snape had no proof — yet. **

"Good, you can't get into trouble then." Sirius said.

"You just need to get out of there." Robin said.

**"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter," Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. "He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers… The resemblance between you is uncanny.**

**"My dad didn't strut," said Cris, before she could stop herself. "And neither do I."**

**"Your father didn't set much store by rules either," Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. "Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen —" **

"Are you trying to get her into trouble?" Lily asked.

"Keep going like that and I wouldn't be surprised if she hexed you." McGonagall said.

"Or yell her head off." Neville said.

"I can keep my temper, but when people talk bad about my parents I go off." Cris said.

"That's normal, you didn't know them and you have this fantasy about them and you want to keep it." Hermione said.

"Thanks Mia," Cris said with a smile with a few tears escaping her eyes. George wiped the tears and Fred squeezed her hand in sympathy and support.

**"SHUT UP!"**

**Cris was suddenly on her feet. Rage such as she had not felt since her last night in Privet Drive was coursing through her. She didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.**

**"What did you say to me, Potter?"**

**"I told you to shut up about my dad!" Cris yelled. "I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!" **

Both sets of marauders winced at the memory of that incident.

**Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk.**

**"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?" he whispered. "Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?"**

**Cris bit her lip. She didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it — but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth.**

**"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter," he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. "Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. **

"I had no idea about the prank Snape!" Prongs said.

"It was all my idea, my idiotic idea, and I apologized afterward." Sirius snapped.

**There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts."**

**Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared.**

**"Turn out your pockets, Potter!" he spat suddenly.**

**Cris didn't move. There was a pounding in her ears.**

**"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"**

**Cold with dread, Cris slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map**

"Please let it be blank," Prongs muttered.

**Snap picked up the Zonko's bag.**

**"Ron gave them to me," said Cris, praying she'd get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape saw him. "He brought them back from Hogsmeade last time —"**

"It's a pretty good lie," Bill said.

"Hopefully it will be enough." Robin said.

**"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching… and what is this?"**

**Snape had picked up the map. Cris tried with all her might to keep her face impassive.**

**"Spare bit of parchment," she said with a shrug.**

**Snape turned it over, his eyes on Crus.**

**"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" he said. "Why don't I just — throw this away?" **

"No!" cried most of the room.

**His hand moved toward the fire.**

**"No!" Cris said quickly.**

**"So!" said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. "Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the Dementors?"**

"Yes to the latter part," Remus muttered.

**Cris blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed.**

**"Let me see, let me see…" he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.**

**Nothing happened. Cris clenched her hands to stop them from shaking.**

**"Show yourself!" Snape said, tapping the map sharply.**

**It stayed blank. Cris was taking deep, calming breaths.**

**"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape said, hitting the map with his wand. **

"And that will do it," Prongs said with a smirk.

**As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.**

"This should be good," Robin whispered to Sirius who was grinning like a maniac.

_**"Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."**_

Everyone was chuckling while the twins went over to high five Remus and Moony.

**Snape froze. Cris stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.**

_**"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git." **_

James got up and hugged his grandfather while laughing almost exactly like Keiran.

**It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more…**

_**"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor." **_

Keiran and Scarlett hugged both versions of their father.

"_**Miss Kit agrees with Mr. Padfoot and would like to add that he couldn't get a date to save his life." **_

"Mum!" Scarlett and Keiran cried astonished.

"I don't think he's ever gotten so much as laid in his life." Sirius whispered into her ear. This made Robin choke on the water she was drinking and Remus and Moony to sputter.

**Cris closed her eyes in horror. When she'd opened them, the map had had its last word.**

_**"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball." **_

"Just so you know; I so wanted to laugh, but I kind of lost my voice after the first insult." Cris said.

"It's a good thing that you didn't." Remus said.

"I know," Cris said with a smile.

**Cris waited for the blow to fall.**

**"So…" said Snape softly. "We'll see about this…"**

**He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames.**

**"Lupin!" Snape called into the fire. "I want a word!"**

"Of course you get pulled into the mess." Prongs said.

"That's because he knows our nicknames." Moony said.

**Utterly bewildered, Cris stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.**

**"You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.**

**"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty her pockets. She was carrying this."**

**Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Mmes. Kit were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.**

"I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out." Padfoot said.

"Yeah, Moony always gets us out of these types of situations." Prongs said.

"Same with Teddy, when he's tripping over everything." Keiran said.

"Oi!" Teddy exclaimed though he had a smile on his face.

**"Well?" said Snape.**

**Lupin continued to stare at the map. Cris had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking.**

"I was," Remus said with a chuckle.

**"Well?" said Snape again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?"**

**Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Cris' direction, warned her not to interrupt.**

**"Full of Dark Magic?" he repeated mildly. "Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Cris got it from a joke shop —" **

"Good, hopefully he'll believe that," Prongs said.

**"Indeed?" said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke shop could supply her with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that she got it directly from the manufacturers?"**

**Cris didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin.**

**"You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?" he said. "Cris, do you know any of these men?"**

**"No," said Cris quickly. **

"Well you do, you just don't know that you do." Lily said.

"I know," Cris said with a smile.

**"You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko's product to me —"**

**Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak.**

**"I — gave — Cris — that — stuff," he choked. "Bought — it… in Zonko's… ages — ago…"**

**"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Cris, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus —"**

**Cris didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. She, Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Cris turned to Lupin.**

**"Professor, I —"**

**"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. **

**He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Cris and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Cris."**

"What? Why?" Prongs asked completely shocked.

"At the time, I was worried about Cris' safety; I thought that Sirius was after her." Remus said.

"You gave it back though, in the end?" Padfoot asked.

"Well obviously, otherwise the kids wouldn't have it." Moony said.

"That's true." Prongs said.

**Cris had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest.**

**"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"**

**"Because…" Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."**

"Well that's true," Padfoot said.

"Did you really think that would be good enough for Cris though?" Robin asked.

"I was hoping she would leave it at that." Remus said.

"Yeah right," Lily said.

**"Do you know them?" said Cris, impressed.**

**"We've met," he said shortly.**

"So you still don't know the truth." Prongs said.

"When do you find out?" Padfoot asked.

"Later," Cris said.

**He was looking at Cris more seriously than ever before.**

**"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Cris. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Cris. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."**

"And the guilt trip," Padfoot said.

"Yeah," Cris mumbled looking down into her lap.

**He walked away, leaving Cris feeling worse by far than she had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly, she and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As Crus passed the one-eyed witch, she remembered the Invisibility Cloak — it was still down there, but she didn't dare go and get it.**

**"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —" **

"Good, you've come to your senses." Mrs. Weasley said.

"But I'm glad that you didn't have to wait to see Hogsmeade," Lily said.

**He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. One look at her face convinced Cris that she had heard what had happened. Her heart plummeted — had she told Professor McGonagall?**

**"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"**

"Really Ron?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, I was being stupid, I admit it." Ron said.

"Wow, that's mature." Ginny said.

"What? I can be mature when I want to be." Ron said.

**"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know… Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."**

"No!" the room cried.

"I hope he escapes," Prongs said.

"That's the chapter." Charlie said.

"Before we continue, I say we should have lunch." Mrs. Weasley said. Everyone agreed and some of the girls went in to help.


	19. Chapter 15: The Quidditch Final

They sat around the table as Mrs. Weasley brought out the food. Victoire went over and sat next to Keiran who wrapped an arm around her and kissed her. Lily J went over to Teddy who did the same and Scarlett did the same to James. Al was sitting next his uncle wishing that Keira was there as well.

Cris was sitting in between the twins quite comfortably with her head on George's shoulder and feet in Fred's lap. Ron and Hermione were sitting together talking about something as well as Neville and Ginny and Draco and Luna.

*With Victoire and Keiran*

"This experience has been surreal." Victoire said after she took a drink of water.

"I know, I'm about to be born and you're not even a thought yet." Keiran said.

"But it's nice." Vic said.

"I know what you mean," Keiran said, "but I'm glad Aunt Cris gets this chance to get to know her parents."

"Yeah, I just hope that we are changing things," Vic said.

"I hope so too." Keiran said kissing her temple.

*With Robin and Sirius*

Robin was watching Keiran and Victoire and Scarlett and James with a smile on her face.

"Look at them Siri," Robin said. Both sets of couples were cuddled next to each other and Robin was smiling at them.

"James looks so much like Prongs, especially when he's with Scar." Sirius said.

"I was thinking that as well." Robin said.

"I really want them back." Sirius said softly.

"I know, and apparently we will have them back." Robin said.

"I know and I'm really happy about that." Sirius said.

"Good, that's what we're here for." A voice said from behind them. They turned around to see Al standing there.

"Come here buddy," Sirius said.

"You always call me that." Al said as he went over to sit next to his godparents, but he hadn't told them yet.

"So were you really born on Moony's birthday?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, you were really excited about that, or so I heard." Al said.

"So is it just you who has the black hair?" Robin asked.

"No, Connor does, in fact he looks like mum. We have a bet that our new sister will have black hair too." Al said.

"Well, it is the most dominant hair color, but with the Weasley blood that you have, who knows." Robin said.

"I know," Al said.

"All right everyone, time to read the next chapter." Mrs. Weasley said. Everyone nodded and got up to go into the living room.

"I believe that it's my turn to read." Bill said.

"Here ya go bro." Charlie said handing the book to Bill. Bill opened the book to the next chapter.

"**Chapter 15: The Quidditch Final," **Bill read.

"Of course Bill gets the cool chapter." Charlie said.

"It's just my luck little brother." Bill said.

"Dad, just read." Victoire said.

"Alright, alright, don't need to get all touchy." Bill said.

**"****He sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.**

**Cris took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.**

_**Dear Hermione,**_

_**We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London. **_

"No!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Poor Buckbeak." Prongs said.

_**I won't forget all the help you gave us.**_

_**Hagrid**_

**"****They can't do this," said Cris. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."**

"Any excuse to get rid of animals." Kingsley said.

"I know, right, it's utterly ridiculous." Lily J said.

**"****Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope… Nothing will have changed."**

"That's certainly true." Al said.

"So he doesn't change much?" Draco asked.

"Well I don't know; he's been in Azkaban for a few years now." Keiran said.

"Good, serves him right." Sirius said with a sneer to match Snape's.

**"****Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."**

**"****Oh, Ron!"**

**Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. **

"Just kiss the girl already," George said.

"Please, save us the insanity of the sexual tension." Cris said. Ron and Hermione looked at each and before anyone could blink they were kissing each other which resulted in a round of catcalls.

"Finally!" Cris and Ginny exclaimed.

"By the way, Fred you owe me five sickles." Ginny said. Ron and Hermione broke apart and Hermione looked astonished over at Ginny.

"You bet on us?" Hermione asked.

"Well yeah, it was kind of obvious that you two would end up together." Ginny said.

"In that case, Charlie you owe me a galleon." Ron said.

"And why is that?" Charlie asked.

"You bet me last year that Cris would end of up with the twins." Ron said.

"I guess I did." Charlie said with a chuckle. Ron and Ginny collected their winnings and Bill continued reading with a smile on his face.

**Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away.**

**"****Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers…" she sobbed.**

**"****Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. **

"Is it always that awkward?" Ginny asked.

"You should have seen him with Rose when she was born." Keiran said. He was there when she was born seeing as he was ten.

"You named her after me." Cris said.

"Well yeah, I can see us doing that." Ron said with a smile.

"Thanks," Cris said with a smile.

**"****And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."**

"Did you get an owl?" Padfoot asked.

"Maybe," Ron said.

"No fair," Prongs said.

"Then maybe you should stop asking." Moony said.

"Fine," Prongs and Padfoot said.

**The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Cris, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons.**

**He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.**

**"****S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em…"**

"Idiots, all of them." Lily said.

"We know." Most of the room said.

**"****There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"**

**They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.**

**"****S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…"**

**Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.**

**"****Look at him blubber!"**

"You were a heartless git, you know that?" Charlie said.

"Don't worry, he changes." Scarlett said.

"Good, because I don't think I could take any more of this." Charlie said.

"It's a good thing Uncle Charlie isn't an Auror then." Al whispered to James who nodded in agreement.

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.**

**"****Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!" **

"Someone please shut him up." Keiran said.

"Oh, someone does," Cris said smiling at the memory.

"Bill hurry up." Prongs said. Bill chuckled and continued reading.

**Cris and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!**

"Hermione punched him?" Lily asked wide eyed.

"It was a good punch too." Draco said rubbing his nose in remembrance.

"Did you break it?" Prongs asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Hermione said.

"You did," Draco said.

"I don't feel sorry for it then." Hermione said.

"It's fine I didn't suspect you to." Draco said.

"This is too weird." Ron whispered to Ginny who nodded her head in agreement.

**She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Cris, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.**

**"****Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"**

"Come on, finish it, you know you want to." Padfoot said.

"I didn't," Hermione said.

"You're no fun." Prongs said.

**"****Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.**

**"****Get off, Ron!"**

**Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.**

"Sounds just like them." Sirius said.

"They were so stupid; I'm surprised that they survived the war." Scarlett said.

"Well only one did, remember." Keiran said.

"Oh yeah," Scar said.

"Well we know that not everyone survives." Charlie said looking over at Percy.

"Can we not think about that please?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Before anyone can say anything Bill continued reading.

**"****C'mon." Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.**

**"****Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.**

"Well it was shocking." Cris said.

"And bloody amazing." Ron said with a smile towards his girlfriend. Hermione blushed but didn't say anything else.

**"Cris, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"**

**"****We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."**

**They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.**

**"****You're late!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Cris opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"**

**Cris and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags. Ron looked behind him.**

**"****Where's Hermione gone?" **

"Wait, weren't you behind them?" Lily asked confused. Hermione didn't answer which left them even more confused.

"I think I know what she has." Moony said.

"Tell us!" Padfoot, Prongs, Fred, George, Charlie, Bill and Tonks exclaimed.

"Nope," Moony said.

**Cris looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Cris knew she had been right next to her when she had opened the door.**

**"That's weird," said Cris, staring at Ron. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"**

**But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.**

"That is so unlike Hermione," Bill said.

"That day Hermione wasn't acting like herself at all." Cris said.

"It was very unlike her, but at the same time, kind of funny." Ron said.

"Well it was refreshing," Hermione said with a grin.

**"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly — the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.**

**Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Cris and Ron had started to get slightly worried.**

**"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower.**

"I hope not," Lily said.

"I'm sure that nothing happened to her Lils," Prongs said.

"I hope so." Lily said.

**They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.**

**Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Cris prodded her awake.**

**"Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?"**

**"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Cris. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"**

**"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"**

**"But how could you forget?" said Cris. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"**

**"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? **

"I don't think Flitwick can get angry." Sirius said.

"Well he kind of has to have a lot of patience." Lily said.

"That's true," Sirius said.

**Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"**

**"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."**

**"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry… I'll see you in Divination!"**

"That doesn't last long." Cris said.

"Oh yeah, I remember this." Ginny said.

**Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.**

**"I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!" **

"If your anything like Moony and Lily then you will do fine." Prongs said.

"She did," Cris and Ron said.

"See, now Bill, continue reading please." Robin said.

**Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Cris, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.**

**"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.**

**"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Cris muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands." **

"Anyone would, she's just crazy." Tonks said.

"I am so getting out of it next year." Cris said.

"Good, you really don't need it." Kingsley said.

**"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.**

**"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice." **

"Oh yeah, that's real predictive, she sets the bloody tests." Lily said.

"Lils, did you just curse?" Prongs asked.

"Yes, I did, get used to it." Lily said. Cris smiled at her parents and hoped that they will be able to change the past and possibly be a big sister as well.

**Hermione snorted.**

**"Well, honestly… 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Cris and Ron choked back laughs.**

"Well yeah, you've got Hermione making that joke and then you have Cris whose hair turned green because of what Mia said." Ron said.

"That would make it fun." Tonks said.

"It's always fun when you have someone who can change their hair color." Hermione said. Teddy, Cris and Tonks smiled as did Lily J, James and Al even though they can't do it too well.

**It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.**

**"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes —" Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise — "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class." **

"Everyone sees," the pranksters said. This earned them a slap from the girls near them.

"That's not what she meant." Lily, Cris, Robin and Hermione said.

"We know, we were just kidding," Fred said.

"I know," Cris said.

"Then why did you hit us?" George asked.

"Because it's fun," Cris said with a cheeky smile.

"Why you little," Fred said and the both of them began to tickle her.

"Siri, mum, dad, Uncle Moony, help!" Cris called through her laughs.

"I'm coming Prongslet." Padfoot said. He ran over with Prongs and they pulled Cris free and she was then trying to get her breath back.

"Thanks, I'll get you two back later." Cris said with a glare towards the twins. Everyone was chuckling and Bill then decided to continue reading.

**And so they began. Cris, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep her mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it. It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.**

**"Seen anything yet?" Cris asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.**

**"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle." **

"Good spot," Sirius said with a laugh.

"Well, I couldn't see anything else." Ron said with a shrug and a smile.

**"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"**

"That would be a better use of your time." McGonagall said.

"I don't even understand why we even have that class." Lily muttered.

**Professor Trelawney rustled past.**

**"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.**

**"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."**

"Was there?" Charlie asked.

"I don't remember." Ron said looking thoughtful.

**Both Cris and Hermione burst out laughing.**

**"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Cris felt her heart sinking. She was sure she knew what was coming —**

**"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving… but what is it?"**

**Cris was prepared to bet everything she owned, including her Firebolt, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough —**

**"My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Cris. "It is here, plainer than ever before… my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer… the Gr —"**

**"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"**

"Thank you Hermione!" Lily said.

"What it was stupid," Hermione said.

"I agree with you, Aunt Mione." Lily J said.

**Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.**

**"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."**

"She did not just say that." Ginny said.

"She did," Neville said.

"I swear; Mia gets out of most of the shit we get into." Cris said.

"Well who else is going to get you out this stuff?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Cris said.

"I don't think we would be able to get out of it." Ron said.

"Don't say that," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Sorry mum/Mrs. Weasley." The trio said.

**There was a moment's silence. Then —**

**"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"**

"You just walked out of class?" Lily asked wide eyed.

"Yeah," Hermione said sheepishly.

"It was definitely a new side of Hermione that we've never seen before." Ron said.

"You should show," George said.

"This side of you," Fred said.

"More often." They said together.

"It would make things more interesting though." Cris said with a smile.

"Well I did this year." Hermione said.

"That you did," George said with a chuckle.

**And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.**

"I'm impressed; I don't think anyone has ever done that before." Charlie said.

"Well there is a first for everything." Dumbledore said.

"It's just crazy; I would never think that Hermione would do something like that." Sirius said.

**It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim. She turned abruptly from Cris and Ron's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.**

**"Ooooo!" said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"**

"Great, that would make them believe her even more." Prongs said.

"Wait until the finals," Cris muttered under her breath.

**Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.**

**"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us.**

"No you didn't." Neville said.

"Everyone leaves that class at one point or another." Charlie said.

**One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs… The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know…"**

**Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed, and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.**

**"Some day Hermione's having, eh?" Ron muttered to Cris, looking awed.**

"I so wanted to leave too but I don't think Ron would have appreciated being alone, besides it's fun with Ron there with me." Cris said.

"We do have fun," Ron said with a smile.

**"Yeah…"**

**Cris glanced into the crystal ball but saw nothing but swirling white mist. Had Professor Trelawney really seen the Grim again? **

**Would she? The last thing she needed was another near-fatal accident, with the Quidditch final drawing ever nearer.**

**The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.**

"Just wait until your OWL's." Robin said.

"I know, we are getting so much work, and we are learning nothing in Defense Against Dark Arts." Draco said.

"I'm sure you're learning something." Lily said.

"All we are doing is reading from the book and doing absolutely nothing." Ginny said.

"Whoever you have for a teacher is a complete idiot." Prongs said.

"I couldn't agree more," Cris said rubbing her hand.

**"Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"**

**But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.**

**Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal.**

"Wow, Ron actually opened a book?" Charlie asked.

"I did, how could I not. I felt bad for Hagrid." Ron said.

"We all feel bad for Hagrid at the moment." Robin said.

**When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality.**

"No! Don't go over to the dark side!" the twins cried.

"FRED, GEORGE, your brother is a prefect, of course he reads. Or at least he better." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I do, Cris and Mione make sure I do my homework." Ron said. His brothers and sister and nieces and nephews face palmed.

"Not the smartest thing to do Uncle Ron," Victoire said.

"Well, someone has to." Cris said with a smirk.

"At least someone tries." Mrs. Weasley whispered.

**He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks.**

**Cris, meanwhile, had to fit in her homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Cris, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.**

**"So you must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up," Wood told Cris constantly. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Cris, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, Haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're —" **

"I think she's got it Oliver." Sirius said.

"She might explode because of this." Robin said.

**"I KNOW, OLIVER!" Cris yelled.**

"See," Robin said with a smile.

**The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been Seeker. **

"I so challenge you to a Quidditch match." Charlie said.

"Only if your man enough to be beaten by a girl." Cris said with a smirk.

"I don't care, I just challenge you." Charlie said.

"Alright, it's your lose," Cris said with a smirk.

"I bet Cris will win," Bill said.

"No doubt about that," Sirius said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charlie asked.

"Only that Cris is lighter and faster and could probably beat you." Fred said.

"Probably by a margin of 100 points as well." George said.

"Don't bet on points, just on who catches the snitch first." Cris said.

"Alright, we'll do that." George said.

"Enough! Bill, please continue." Mrs. Weasley said.

**But Cris doubted whether any of them, even Wood, wanted to win as much as she did. The enmity between Cris and Malfoy was at its highest point ever. Malfoy was still smarting about the mud-throwing incident in Hogsmeade and was even more furious that Cris had somehow wormed her way out of punishment. Cris hadn't forgotten Malfoy's attempt to sabotage her in the match against Ravenclaw, but it was the matter of Buckbeak that made her most determined to beat Malfoy in front of the entire school.**

**Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. **

"I can see that," Prongs said.

"There hasn't been a Gryffindor/Slytherin final in a few years." Charlie said.

"I can see attempts at sabotage until the upcoming match." Tonks said.

**By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.**

**Cris was having a particularly bad time of it. She couldn't walk to class without Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip her up; Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever she went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw her surrounded by people. Wood had given instructions that Cris should be accompanied everywhere she went, in case the Slytherins tried to put her out of action. The whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for Cris to get to classes on time because she was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd. Cris was more concerned for her Firebolt's safety than her own. When she wasn't flying it, she locked it securely in her trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there.**

**All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.**

"You've done the impossible!" Tonks exclaimed.

"Nah, it was only because of the noise people were making." Cris said with a shrug.

"Moony's done that a time or two." Padfoot said.

"So has Lily," Prongs pointed out.

"But I escaped to my dorm where Remus couldn't really with you two pestering him about pranks." Lily said.

"But of course." Padfoot said.

**"I can't work, I can't concentrate," she said nervously.**

**There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever. Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were laughing at Fred's and George's jokes. Cris was sitting with Ron and Hermione, removed from the center of things, trying not to think about the next day, because every time she did, she had the horrible sensation that something very large was fighting to get out of her stomach.**

**"You're going to be fine," Hermione told her, though she looked positively terrified.**

**"You've got a Firebolt!" said Ron.**

**"Yeah…" said Cris, her stomach writhing.**

**It came as a relief when Wood suddenly stood up and yelled, "Team! Bed!"**

"Good, he's making sure that you get plenty of sleep." Charlie said.

"Sleep is always a good thing before a big game like the final." Prongs said.

**Cris slept badly. First she dreamed that she had overslept, and that Wood was yelling, "Where were you? We had to use Neville instead!" **

"Why me?" Neville asked.

"I don't know, probably the first person that came to mind who wasn't on the team." Cris said with a sheepish smile.

"It's okay, I was just wondering." Neville said.

**Then she dreamed that Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team arrived for the match riding dragons. She was flying at breakneck speed, trying to avoid a spurt of flames from Malfoy's steed's mouth, when she realized she had forgotten her Firebolt.**

"You have the craziest dreams." Ron said with a smile.

"I know, it just makes my life fun, but I don't remember this dream." Cris said.

"It happens, when I'm worried I tend to have crazy dreams." Lily said.

"Me too," Lily J, James and Al said.

"So it's an Evans thing." Prongs said with a smirk. Lily pouted and smacked him upside the head.

**She fell through the air and woke with a start.**

**It was a few seconds before Cris remembered that the match hadn't taken place yet, that she was safe in bed, and that the Slytherin team definitely wouldn't be allowed to play on dragons. **

"Nor will they ever." Dumbledore said.

"But it would be so cool though." Charlie said.

"It would also be very dangerous." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I know, but still," Charlie muttered. Bill shook his head at his brother and continued reading.

**She was feeling very thirsty. Quietly as she could, she got out of her four-poster and went to pour herself some water from the silver jug beneath the window.**

**The grounds were still and quiet. No breath of wind disturbed the treetops in the Forbidden Forest; the Whomping Willow was motionless and innocent-looking. **

"But that doesn't mean that it is innocent." Tonks said.

"No, far from it actually." Kingsley said.

**It looked as though the conditions for the match would be perfect.**

**Cris set down her goblet and was about to turn back to her bed when something caught her eye. An animal of some kind was prowling across the silvery lawn.**

**Cris dashed to her bedside table, snatched up her glasses, and put them on, then hurried back to the window. It couldn't be the Grim — not now — not right before the match —**

"Sorry pup," Sirius said.

"It's okay, I know that you were excited and really wanted to get the rat." Cris said.

"Yeah, I had no idea where he gotten to either." Sirius said.

"Don't worry we found him." Hermione said.

"Yeah, that's true," Sirius said with a chuckle.

**She peered out at the grounds again and, after a minute's frantic searching, spotted it. It was skirting the edge of the forest now… It wasn't the Grim at all… it was a cat… Cris clutched the window ledge in relief as she recognized the bottlebrush tail. It was only Crookshanks… **

"You should probably make sure that he is in at night Miss Granger, you don't want him to get hurt." McGonagall said.

"Don't worry I will, and why didn't you tell me Cris?" Hermione asked.

"It slipped my mind with everything that day." Cris said.

"Yeah, it was a crazy day." Hermione said.

**Or was it only Crookshanks? Cris squinted, pressing her nose flat against the glass. Crookshanks seemed to have come to a halt. Cris was sure she could see something else moving in the shadow of the trees too.**

**And just then, it emerged — a gigantic, shaggy black dog, moving stealthily across the lawn, Crookshanks trotting at its side. **

**Cris stared. What did this mean? If Crookshanks could see the dog as well, how could it be an omen of Cris' death?**

"It's just Padfoot hanging out with a cat, which is something I would have never thought that I would say." Moony said.

"Crookshanks is a very sweet cat." Sirius said.

"I talked dad into letting me get a kitten for school." Scarlett said.

"Now that is really crazy." Prongs said.

"I have gone insane." Padfoot whispered.

**"Ron!" Cris hissed. "Ron! Wake up!"**

**"Huh?"**

**"I need you to tell me if you can see something!"**

**"S'all dark, Cris," Ron muttered thickly. "What're you on about?"**

**"Down here —"**

**Cris looked quickly back out of the window.**

**Crookshanks and the dog had vanished. Cris climbed onto the windowsill to look right down into the shadows of the castle, but they weren't there. Where had they gone?**

**A loud snore told her Ron had fallen asleep again.**

"What help you are." Hermione said.

"Hey, it was late and I was tired." Ron said.

"It's okay; we all know how you are." Cris said. Ron glared at Cris who just smiled innocently back at him.

**Cris and the rest of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause. Cris couldn't help grinning broadly as she saw that both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding them too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed. Cris noticed that Malfoy looked even paler than usual.**

"What do you expect; I was just as nervous as Cris." Draco said.

"That's normal for a big game like that though." Kingsley said.

**Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself. Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.**

**"Good luck, Cris!" called Cedric. Cris felt herself blushing very slightly. **

The twins growled slightly but didn't do anything else they remembered that they got her in the end and that three of their kids were sitting in the room with them.

**"Okay — no wind to speak of — sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it — ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff —"**

"He needs to take a few deep breaths and calm down." Prongs said.

"Yeah, I made you do that a few times." Padfoot said.

**Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.**

**"Locker rooms," said Wood tersely.**

**None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes. Cris wondered if they were feeling like she was: as though she'd eaten something extremely wriggly for breakfast. In what seemed like no time at all, Wood was saying, "Okay, it's time, let's go —"**

**They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP." Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.**

**"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —" **

"And it's girls before boys." Cris said.

"As it should be," Ginny and Hermione said with a smile.

**Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.**

**"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"**

**More boos from the Slytherin crowd. Cris, however, thought Lee had a point. Malfoy was easily the smallest person On the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.**

"That's not a very good thing." Charlie said.

"What can you expect, Flint's stupid." Cris said.

"That's true," Charlie said.

**"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.**

**Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.**

"That always happens as well." Prongs said rubbing his hand in remembrance.

"That's because it only happened last month for us." Moony said.

"Well so," Prongs said.

**"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"**

**The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Cris felt her bangs fly back off her forehead; her nerves left her in the thrill of the flight; she glanced around, saw Malfoy on her tail, and sped off in search of the Snitch.**

**"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! – SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**

Cheers could be heard from everyone not Slytherin.

**Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight**

**"OUCH!"**

**Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.**

**"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"**

"Yeah right, you can't see someone who was wearing bright red?" Lily J asked.

"Of course he can, he was just being an a-hole." James said minding his language since he was near his parents and grandparents.

**A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.**

Charlie laughed and high fived his brother.

**"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"**

**"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.**

**"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**

More cheers again were heard throughout the room.

**Cris turned the Firebolt sharply to watch Flint, still bleeding freely, fly forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.**

**"'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"**

"Get a few more goals now," Prongs muttered under his breath at the edge of his seat.

**Relieved, Cris zoomed away, gazing around for the Snitch, but still making sure she caught every word of Lee's commentary. It was essential that she hold Malfoy off the Snitch until Gryffindor was more than fifty points up —**

**"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"**

**Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.**

"Now that's just dirty." Sirius sneered.

"It's Slytherin, what else do you expect?" Tonks asked.

"I know, but still." Sirius said.

**Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.**

**"THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"**

"You know, I think most of this game was penalty shots." Cris said.

"That's alright," Charlie said.

**"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way —"**

**"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"**

**Cris felt a huge jolt of excitement. She had seen the Snitch — it was shimmering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goal posts — but she mustn't catch it yet — and if Malfoy saw it —**

**Faking a look of sudden concentration, Cris pulled her Firebolt around and sped off toward the Slytherin end — it worked. Malfoy went haring after her, clearly thinking Cris had seen the Snitch there…**

"You really shouldn't be seeker then," Prongs said very proud of his daughter.

"Yep, it makes it easy for us to win." Padfoot said with a smirk. Draco huffed and crossed his arms.

**WHOOSH.**

**One of the Bludgers came streaking past Cris' right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again…**

**WHOOSH.**

**The second Bludger grazed Cris' elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.**

**Cris had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward her, clubs raised — She turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.**

"Nice one," Prongs said.

"At least you weren't hurt." Lily said with a sigh of relief.

**"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"**

**But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.**

**"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"**

"Good," Keiran said.

**It was turning into the dirtiest game Cris had ever played in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.**

**The Snitch had disappeared again. Malfoy was still keeping close to Cris as she soared over the match, looking around for it once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead — Katie scored. **

**Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.**

**Madam Hooch was beside herself —**

"I don't think I ever played a game this dirty," Sirius sai with a laugh.

"Yeah, the Slytherin's are doing this to themselves." Prongs said with a laugh as well.

**"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"**

**And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. **

"Just one more goal," Tonks said biting her nails.

**Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.**

"Find the snitch!" most of the room exclaimed. This made Cris chuckle in amusement.

**The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Cris caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Cris could almost feel hundreds of eyes following her as she soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Malfoy speeding along behind her.**

**And then she saw it. The Snitch was sparkling twenty feet above her.**

"Get it!" exclaimed the quidditch fanatics.

**Cris put on a huge burst of speed; the wind was roaring in her ears; she stretched out her hand, but suddenly, the Firebolt was slowing down —**

"What the hell?" Prongs said.

"Nobody is cursing it are they?" Lily asked worried for her daughter.

"No, just a git." Cris said.

**Horrified, she looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back.**

**"You —"**

**Cris was angry enough to hit Malfoy, but couldn't reach — Malfoy was panting with the effort of holding onto the Firebolt, but his eyes were sparkling maliciously. He had achieved what he'd wanted to do — the Snitch had disappeared again.**

**"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.**

**"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"**

"Wow, this kid has guts," Padfoot said.

"Well it is hard to be biased when it's your team playing." Moony said.

**Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.**

**Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Cris, were being spurred on to greater heights.**

"**Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor…"**

"You need one more goal." Kingsley said tensely.

"I'm sure they'll get it." Charlie said.

**Cris was now marking Malfoy so closely their knees kept hitting each other. Cris wasn't going to let Malfoy anywhere near the Snitch…**

**"Get out of it, Potter!" Malfoy yelled in frustration as he tried to turn and found Cris blocking him.**

**"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"**

**Cris looked around. Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her — Cris wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, she shot toward the Slytherins. **

"Good tactic, but not the best." Prongs said.

"It worked," Cris said with a shrug.

**"AAAAAAARRRGH!"**

**They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.**

**"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty Points to twenty!"**

**Cris, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.**

**And then she saw something to make her heart stand still. Malfoy was diving, a look of triumph on his face — there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer — **

"Come on, you can get it." Prongs cried jumping to his feet.

**Cris urged the Firebolt downward, but Malfoy was miles ahead —**

**"Go! Go! Go!" Cris urged her broom. She was gaining on Malfoy — Cris flattened herself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at her — she was at Malfoy's ankles — she was level —**

**Cris threw herself forward, took both hands off her broom. She knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and —**

**She pulled out of her dive, her hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Cris soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in her ears. The tiny golden ball was held tight in her fist, beating its wings hopelessly against her fingers**

"Yes!" exclaimed the room. Prongs ran over and picked his daughter up and spun her around again in happiness. He set her down with a kiss to her head and went over and kissed Lily.

**Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Cris around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into her shoulder. Cris felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.**

**Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. Cris had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on her. Then she, and the rest of the team, were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light, she saw Hagrid, Plastered with crimson rosettes — "Yeh beat 'em, Cris, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!"**

**There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward Cris, were Ron and Hermione. Words failed them. They simply beamed as Cris was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.**

**If only there had been a Dementor around… As a sobbing Wood passed Cris the Cup, as she lifted it into the air, Cris felt she could have produced the world's best Patronus. **

"Yeah, more than likely." Remus said with a smile.

"That's the chapter," Bill said with a smile and passed it to his daughter.

"You guys finally win the cup and no accident to stop you this time." Prongs said with a happy smile.

"Yep," Cris said with a happy smile. Victoire cleared her throat and began the next chapter.


	20. Chapter 16:Trelawney's Prediction

"**Chapter 16: Professor Trelawney's Prediction," **Victoire read.

"You mean to tell me that she makes an actual prediction?" Tonks asked.

"Wait and see." Teddy said to his mom.

"You know?" Cris asked.

"You told me when I asked about why my parents weren't there." Teddy said looking in his lap. Tonks brought him in for a hug as Victoire continued to read.

**Cris' euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.**

"But sadly, that's not what you will be doing though." Sirius said.

"I know," Cris said.

**But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working;**

"Well it is their OWL year." Lily said.

"Even you two studied during your OWL's." Moony said.

"Yeah," Prongs and Padfoot said.

**they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.**

"I can see that, but how in the world are you going to sit through all those tests." Sirius asked.

"That is my secret." Hermione said with smirk.

"No fair," Padfoot said.

**Cris and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:**

**Monday**

**9 o'clock, Arithmancy****  
****  
9 o'clock, Transfiguration**

**Lunch**

**1 o'clock, Charms**

**1 o'clock, Ancient Runes **

"What the hell?" Tonks asked.

"That is not possible." Bill said.

"Well somehow Mione did it." Ginny said.

**"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days.**

**"Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"**

**"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."**

**"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Cris.**

**"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"**

**"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. **

"Did you really?" Hermione asked.

"No, I felt that you needed to take a break." Ron said.

"Thank you, but next time don't." Hermione said.

"Alright," Ron said sheepishly.

**Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment. Cris, Ron, and Hermione had plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.**

**"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Cris' flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"**

"But isn't he still alive?" Bill asked having seen him at headquarters.

"Well yeah," Sirius said.

"I don't get it." Tonks said.

"It'll be explained." Hermione said.

"Alright," Kingsley said.

**They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. Cris purposely failed to get her Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away. **

"So you purposely failed it?" Snape asked.

"I was still trying to break the habit." Cris said.

**Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Cris scribbled everything Florean Fortescue had ever told her about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing she could have had one of Fortescue's choconut sundaes with her in the stifling classroom. **

"That would have been so good." Padfoot drooled.

"I want ice cream now, thanks mom." James said.

"You're welcome." Cris said with a smirk and a chuckle.

**Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.**

**Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun,**

"That sounds like fun." Charlie said.

"I wish we had tests like that." Prongs said with a wistful look on his face.

"It would have been fun." Padfoot said.

"You need to come back Remus, we will learn more from you then from Umbridge." Cris said.

"That is so true," Ginny said.

"You should listen to them Remus, if they don't care about you being a werewolf then some of the other students wouldn't either." Robin said.

"We will gladly have you back." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"I will think about it." Remus said.

**where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart. **

"Sounds fun." Sirius said.

"Mum had us doing something like that before." Scarlett said.

"I gave her the notes in case she was asked to teach." Remus said.

"Good thing too." Lily J said.

"Everyone loves her class." Al said.

**"Excellent, Cris," Lupin muttered as Cris climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."**

**Flushed with her success, Cris hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.**

"What did you see?" Prongs asked. Hermione didn't say anything just blushed brightly.

"This should be funny then." Sirius muttered.

**"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"**

**"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"**

"That's really your boggart?" Prongs asked laughing.

"At the time yeah, it might change now." Hermione said blushing even brighter.

**It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Cris, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.**

**Cornelius Fudge,**

"What is he doing there?" Charlie asked.

"For Buckbeak's appeal." Ron said.

"That asshole." Bill whispered.

**sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Cris.**

**"Hello there, Cris!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"**

**"Yes," said Cris. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.**

**"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…"**

**He sighed deeply and looked down at Cris.**

**"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Cris. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in." **

"The appeal hasn't happened yet has it?" Charlie asked.

"No," Cris said.

"So he is just assuming that they will be killing Buckbeak already?" Bill asked.

"Yep," Hermione said simply.

**"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.**

**"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.**

"Then don't plan on a bloody execution then!" Prongs snapped.

**"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The Hippogriff might get off!"**

**Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Cris gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"**

**The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; Cris looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.**

**"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"**

"Because he's dad's boss and she didn't want you to say something to get him fired." Charlie said.

"Yeah, I would have rather not lose my job because you said something to the minister." Mr. Weasley said.

"Then I'm glad Mia stopped me then." Ron said.

**"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak…"**

**But Cris could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying. All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Cris, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.**

**Cris' and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and Cris and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.**

"How can you study for Divination though?" Tonks asked.

"I don't know," Lily said.

**"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.**

**"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Cris knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.**

**The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"**

**But they all refused to say.**

**"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Cris and Ron, who had now reached the landing.**

"She's just trying to scare you." Scarlett said.

"I know, it's was kind of stupid." Cris said.

**"That's convenient," snorted Ron. "You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her" — he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead — "she's a right old fraud."**

**"Yeah," said Cris, looking at her own watch. It was now two o'clock. "Wish she'd hurry up…"**

**Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.**

**"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Cris and Ron. "I saw loads of stuff… Well, good luck!"**

**She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.**

**"Ronald Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads. Ron grimaced at Cris and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Cris was now the only person left to be tested. She settled herself on the floor with her back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the sunny window, her mind across the grounds with Hagrid.**

**Finally, after about twenty minutes, Ron's large feet reappeared on the ladder.**

**"How'd it go?" Cris asked him, standing up.**

**"Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though…"**

"Was it horrible?" Remus asked.

"Most of it," Ron said.

"Kind of funny that you don't pass since you have some seer blood, Ron." Cris said.

"I know," Ron said with a laugh.

**"Meet you in the common room," Cris muttered as Professor Trelawney's voice called, "Cristal Potter!"**

**The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Cris cough as she stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for her before a large crystal ball.**

**"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… Take your time, now… then tell me what you see within it…"**

**Cris bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as she could, willing it to show her something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.**

"Make something up," Sirius said.

"I did," Cris said with a smile.

**"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?"  
The heat was overpowering and her nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. She thought of what Ron had just said, and decided to pretend.**

**"Er —" said Cris, "a dark shape… um…"**

**"What does it resemble?" whispered Professor Trelawney. "Think, now…"**

**Cris cast her mind around and it landed on Buckbeak.**

**"A Hippogriff," she said firmly.**

**"Indeed!" whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. "My girl, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer… Does the Hippogriff appear to… have its head?" **

"That's just sick." Al said.

"I know," Cris said smiling at her son.

**"Yes," said Cris firmly.**

**"Are you sure?" Professor Trelawney urged her. "Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?"**

**"No!" said Cris, starting to feel slightly sick. **

"We all are," Remus said as Robin ran to the bathroom to empty her stomach. Sirius got up to follow her and they came back shortly after with a glass of ice water and some crackers.

"Can we please get through this faster?" Robin asked looking a little green. Victoire nodded and continued reading.

**"No blood? No weeping Hagrid?"**

Robin was looking a little greener so Victoire quickly continued to read.

**"No!" said Cris again, wanting more than ever to leave the room and the heat. "It looks fine, it's — flying away…"****  
****Professor Trelawney sighed.**

**"Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there… A little disappointing… but I'm sure you did your best."**

**Relieved, Cris got up, picked up her bag and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.**

**"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."**

"What?" Tonks asked.

"Let Vic read and you'll understand." Keiran said.

**Cris wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.**

"She's making a real prediction?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Dumbledore said simply.

**"S — sorry?" said Cris.**

**But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear her. Her eyes started to roll. Cris sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. She hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing — and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:****  
****"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT… THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT… BEFORE MIDNIGHT… THE SERVANT… WILL SET OUT… TO REJOIN… HIS MASTER…"**

"What?" everyone asked.

"But who is the servant?" Lily asked.

"Let Victoire continue and we might get the answer." Moony said.

**Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Cris sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.**

**"I'm so sorry, dear girl," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you know… I drifted off for a moment…" **

"She doesn't know that it happens?" Charlie asked.

"Doesn't seem like it." Ginny said.

"So she really is a seer." Draco said.

**Cris sat there, staring at her.**

**"Is there anything wrong, my dear?"**

**"You — you just told me that the — the Dark Lord's going to rise again… that his servant's going to go back to him."**

**Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled.**

**"The Dark Lord? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? My dear girl, that's hardly something to joke about… Rise again, indeed —"**

**"But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord —"**

**"I think you must have dozed off too, dear!" said Professor Trelawney. "I would certainly not presume to predict anything quite as far-fetched as that!"**

**Cris climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering… had she just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test? **

"No, that was a real prediction," Cris said under her breath.

**Five minutes later she was dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in her head. People were striding past her in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time she had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.**

**"Professor Trelawney," Cris panted, "just told me —"**

**But she stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.**

**"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this."**

"But didn't Bill see him recently?" Prongs asked.

"Yes I did," Bill said confused.

"So how is he alive?" Lily asked. The trio, Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore smiled secretly as Victoire continued reading.

**Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.**

_**Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.**_

_**Hagrid**_

**"We've got to go," said Cris at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"**

**"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window sill a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed… 'specially you, Cris…"****  
****  
Cris sank her head into her hands, thinking.**

**"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"**

"Oh yeah it's still in the secret passage." Padfoot said.

**"Where is it?" said Hermione.**

**Cris told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.**

**"… if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," she finished.**

**"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you… How do you open the witch's hump again?"**

**"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Cris. "But —"**

**Hermione didn't wait for the rest of her sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.**

"I like this new Hermione, keep her out in the open." The twins said.

"I'll try," Hermione said with a laugh.

**"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.**

**She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.**

**"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"**

"It was all the stress and the worry." Hermione said.

"Yeah, we kind of figured that part out." Cris said with a smile.

**Hermione looked rather flattered.**

**They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Cris had the cloak hidden down the front of her robes; she had to keep her arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.**

**"Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"**

**Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.**

**They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.**

"You scared Hagrid," Sirius said.

"We didn't mean to." Ron said.

"We were just worried about him." Hermione said.

"You three are really great friends." Padfoot said proudly.

**"It's us," Cris hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."**

**"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Cris pulled off the cloak.**

**Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears. **

"I can't imagine seeing Hagrid like that." James said.

"We've never seen him like that." Prongs said agreeing with his grandson.

**"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.**

**"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.**

**"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"**

**Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.**

**"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.**

**"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Cris glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.**

**"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Cris asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —" **

"I did everything that I could to help." Dumbledore said.

**"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect… an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him…"**

**Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.**

**"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…"**

"Yes he is," everyone agreed. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as ever and Victoire continued to read.

**Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.**

**"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.**

**"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Cris, yeh'll be in big trouble."**

**Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.**

**"Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!" **

"Wait, I thought he was dead." Prongs said.

"He faked his own death?" Bill asked.

"What rat is smart enough to do that?" Charlie asked.

"Unless the rat is actually an animagus." Tonks said.

**Ron gaped at her.**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.**

**"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"**

**He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself.**

"What is he scared of?" Percy asked.

"A mutt who is coming after him." Cris said with a smile to her godfather.

**"It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"**

**Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the color of parchment.**

**"They're comin'…"**

"Get out of there!" a number a people exclaimed.

"This has already happened remember?" Cris asked. The group smiled sheepishly and Victoire continued reading.

**Cris, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.**

**"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"**

**Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.**

**They followed him to the door into his back garden. Cris felt strangely unreal, and even more so when she saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously. **

Cris and Hermione smiled secretly knowing that the reason was because they were coming to rescue him.

**"It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay…" He turned to Cris, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."**

**But they didn't move.**

**"Hagrid, we can't —"**

**"We'll tell them what really happened —"**

**"They can't kill him —"**

**"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"**

"Just get out of there." Lily pleaded not wanting to hear the drop of the ax.

**They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Cris and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.**

**"Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen…"**

**And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.**

**Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Cris, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.**

**"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it…"**

**They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged gray, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.**

**Ron stopped dead.**

**"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione began.**

**"It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —" **

"That's not like him." Percy said confused, his family could tell that he was coming around and smiled.

"What's wrong with the rat?" Kingsley asked.

**Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.**

**"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," Ron hissed.**

**They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.**

**"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione breathed.**

**"Okay — Scabbers, stay put —"**

**They walked forward; Cris, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.**

**"I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —" **

"That rat is going to get them into trouble!" Padfoot hissed.

"I hope not," Mrs. Weasley whispered gripping Mr. Weasley's hand in a vice like grip.

**The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.**

**Hermione swayed on the spot.**

**"They did it!" she whispered to Cris. "I'd — don't believe it — they did it!"**

A number of girls were crying into the chests of their guys as their guys held them close. Victoire handed the book to her grandmother to start the next chapter.


	21. Chapter 17: Cat, Rat and Dog

"**Chapter 17: Cat, Rat and Dog," **Mrs. Weasley said.

"So, Crookshanks, Scabbers and Sirius." Lily said.

"Yep," Remus said.

"This should be interesting." Prongs said.

**Cris' mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.**

**"****Hagrid," Cris muttered. Without thinking about what she was doing, she made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized her arms.**

**"****We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…"**

**Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.**

**"****How — could — they?" she choked. "How could they?" **

"Because they are jackasses," Sirius said simply which earned him a slap from Robin.

"No cussing," Robin said.

"You do know that these kids have probably heard it all before, right?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, but still." Robin said. Sirius nodded and Mrs. Weasley continued reading.

**"****Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.**

**They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now.**

**By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.**

**"****Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!" **

"That's not like him," Percy said his face filled with confusion.

"**Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"**

"**He won't — stay — put —"**

**Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. **

"Damn rat," Ron muttered under his breath.

**"****What's the matter with him?"**

**But Cris had just seen — stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers' squeaks, Cris couldn't tell.**

"Probably, Crookshanks is very smart." Tonks said.

"That he is," Hermione said very proudly at the mention her cat.

**"****Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"**

**But the cat was getting nearer —**

**"****Scabbers — NO!"**

**Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Cris or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.**

"Don't do that," Moony said.

"It has already happened," Cris said.

"But not for us. And we intend to change all this." Lily said.

"That was our plan," Keiran said with a smile.

**"****Ron!" Hermione moaned.**

**She and Cris looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; **

"Not one of our good ideas." Hermione said.

"No kidding," Charlie said.

"The least you could have done was pick it up." Prongs said.

"We should have," Cris muttered under her breath.

**they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.**

**"****Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"**

**There was a loud thud.**

**"****Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"**

**Cris and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.**

**"****Ron — come on back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"**

"Hide!" most of the room hissed.

**But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.**

"Sirius! You can't do anything normal can you?" Tonks asked.

"It was my chance to get the rat, I was desperate." Sirius said sheepishly.

"I know," Robin said rubbing his hand.

**Cris reached for her wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit her on the chest; she keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; she felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth —**

**But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off her. Dazed, feeling as though her ribs were broken,**

"They weren't were they?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"No, I was just winded." Cris said reassuring her worried godfather.

"Good, otherwise I would have to hurt your godfather." Lily said. Sirius gulped and covered himself as Padfoot scooted away from Lily.

"At least I wasn't the one hurt." Cris muttered in amusement.

**Cris tried to stand up; she could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack. **

**Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Cris aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Cris lunged forward, she seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll — **

"Sorry Ron," Sirius said.

"I've already forgiven you, besides I know it wasn't me you were after." Ron said.

"Good, but your mum might kill me when this is over." Sirius said.

"You weren't exactly yourself though, you just want revenge." Hermione said.

"True," Sirius said. Mrs. Weasley looked at her youngest son worried but didn't say anything else.

**Then, out of nowhere, something hit Cris so hard across the face she was knocked off her feet again. She heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.**

**Cris groped for her wand, blinking blood out of her eyes**

**"****Lumos!" she whispered.**

**The wand light showed her the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.**

**And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots - Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —**

"Why are you taking him to the Shack?" Prongs asked.

"It was the closest place I could think of that we could be alone." Sirius said.

"And now Cris and Hermione will be following as well." Lily said.

"I was counting on it; I really wanted to talk to her." Sirius said.

"You wanted to explain everything." Moony said.

"Yes," Sirius said.

**"****Ron!" Cris shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and she was forced backward again.**

**All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight. **

"So that's how your leg was broken." Percy said.

"You can get under the tree?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, but it's very difficult." Cris said.

**"****Cris — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.**

**"****No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"**

**"****Cris — we're never going to get through without help —"**

**Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.**

**"****If that dog can get in, we can," Cris panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but she couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.**

"That's because the tree doesn't like people near it." Bill said.

"No kidding," Cris and Hermione said.

**"****Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "Please…"**

**Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.**

**Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.**

"That is one smart cat." Padfoot said.

**"****Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Cris' arm painfully hard. "How did he know —?"**

**"****He's friends with that dog," said Cris grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —" **

"Good, don't go in unarmed." Moody said.

"Even though you're in no danger, it is always good to not go in unarmed." Kingsley said.

**They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Cris went next; she crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel.**

**Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Cris' wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside her.**

**"****Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice.**

**"****This way," said Cris, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.**

**"****Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him.**

**"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"**

"We made it that way so that we would be alone and that no one would get into trouble." Prongs said.

"Smart," Lily said.

"So where does it lead to?" Charlie asked.

"The Shrieking Shack," the marauders and the trio said.

"Alright then," Bill said.

**They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes… All Cris could think of was Ron and what the enormous dog might be doing to him… She was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch…**

"It wasn't exactly meant for human use," Padfoot said.

"We figured that out." Hermione said.

**And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Cris could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.**

**She and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond.**

**It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.**

**Cris glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.**

**Cris pulled herself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Cris' arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.**

**"****Cris," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."**

**Cris looked around. Her eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.**

**"****Ghosts didn't do that," she said slowly. She then thought that this might be the place where Lupin came to transform when he was at school. **

"You are very smart." Remus said with a smile.

"Yeah, but what I didn't know was that you weren't always alone." Cris said.

"No, it is better with friends." Remus said with a smile to his friends in the room.

**At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Cris' arm was so tight she was losing feeling in her fingers. **

"Sorry Cris," Hermione said sheepishly.

"It's alright," Cris said brushing it away.

**She raised her eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go.**

**Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, **

"Well nobody has been there in almost twenty years." Robin said.

"That's true," Remus said.

**where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.**

**They reached the dark landing.**

**"****Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod.**

**Wand held tightly before her, Cris kicked the door wide open.**

**On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron. **

"At least you'll be okay," Mr. Weasley said with sigh of relief.

**Cris and Hermione dashed across to him.**

**"****Ron — are you okay?"**

**"****Where's the dog?"**

**"****Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Cris, it's a trap —"**

"At least he warned you." Tonks said.

"At least we know that you aren't going to be hurt any more than what was already done." Bill said. Sirius was looking even more worried now and Cris went over to sit in his lap and hugged him Sirius gladly hugged her back and held her tightly to him in order to comfort himself.

**"****What —"**

**"****He's the dog… he's an Animagus."**

"And that was completely shocking." Cris said.

**Ron was staring over Cris' shoulder. Cris wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.**

**A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.**

"I really look horrible." Padfoot said.

"That's what happens when you spend twelve years in Azkaban." Sirius whispered.

"You are getting better," Prongs said with a smile. Sirius smiled back at his best friend and Mrs. Weasley read on.

**"****Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.**

**Cris' and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Cris.**

**"****I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely.**

**His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"**

"You do sound crazy there." Lily said.

"How in the world did you not suspect him?" Tonks asked Cris.

"I listened to my gut." Cris said.

"Good, listen to that more often." Remus said.

**The taunt about her father rang in Cris ears as though Black had bellowed it. But something told her not to listen to it. Black isn't who you think he is, listen to what he has to say. Cris knew to listen to it. **

"Good, trust it," Prongs said.

**Without knowing what she was doing, she started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of her and two pairs of hands grabbed her and held her back…"No, Cris!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.**

**"****If you want to kill Cris, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke. **

"You really are a good friend." Lily said.

"He kind of reminded me of me there." Sirius said.

"Thanks, I think." Ron said.

**Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.**

**"****Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."**

"That clues you in that he isn't that mass murderer." Robin said.

"That is what I noticed as well." Cris said with a smile.

**"****Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Cris to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"**

**"****There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.**

"Yeah, I could have phrased that better." Sirius said.

"You think, you were making my brain hurt." Cris said.

"Sorry," Sirius said with a slight smile.

**Cris was confused everything that was going on made her brain hurt, should she listen to what was right in front of her or should she let him explain? She decided to let him explain.**

**"****Why's that?" Cris spat, trying to wrench herself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"**

"Ah, I see where you're going; you're trying to find the truth." Lily said.

"That was the only way I could think of." Cris said with a shrug.

**"****Cris!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"**

**"****HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Cris roared, her hair turning bright red and with a huge effort she broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward —**

**She had forgotten about magic — she had forgotten that she was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man — all Cris knew was that she wanted to hurt Black as badly as she could and that she didn't care how much she got hurt in return — forgetting about her instincts.**

"Don't do that." Padfoot said worriedly.

"I know, I was stupid." Cris said.

**Perhaps it was the shock of Cris doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Cris' hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Cris' other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall —**

**Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Cris' face by inches; Cris felt the shrunken arm under her fingers twisting madly, but she clung on, her other hand punching every part of Black it could find.**

"That hurt by the way." Sirius said.

"Sorry, I was kind of going through the motions." Cris said.

"I understand but next time, have someone hold you back." Sirius said.

"I'll try," Cris said with a laugh.

**But Black's free hand had found Cris' throat**

**"****No," he hissed, "I've waited too long —"**

**The fingers tightened, Cris choked, her glasses askew.**

"Sirius!" the marauders and Lily exclaimed.

"I know; it was stupid of me." Sirius said.

**Then she saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black let go of Cris with a grunt of pain; Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Cris heard a faint clatter —**

**She fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw her own wand rolling across the floor; she threw herself toward it but****, "****Argh!"**

**Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Cris' arm; Cris threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Cris' wand —**

"This is crazy." Tonks said.

"It was pretty intense." Hermione said.

**"****NO YOU DON'T!" roared Cris, and she aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Cris snatched up her wand and turned —**

**"****Get out of the way!" she shouted at Ron and Hermione.**

**They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg.**

"You really shouldn't have done that." Gwen said.

"I know; it was kind of stupid of me." Ron said.

**Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Cris walking slowly nearer, her wand pointing straight at Black's heart.**

**"****Going to kill me, Cris?" he whispered.**

**Cris stopped right above him, her wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.**

**"****You killed my parents," said Cris, her voice shaking slightly, but her wand hand quite steady. **

"At least that's good," Tonks said.

**Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.**

**"****I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."**

**"****The whole story?" Cris repeated, a furious pounding in her ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know." Cris was hoping that she would get the story now.**

**"****You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"**

"Let him talk Cris," Lily said.

"I do," Cris said.

**"****I understand a lot better than you think," said Cris, and her voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"**

**Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Cris; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat.**

"I would never believe it if someone told me." Padfoot said staring wide eyed at his older self.

"He is a very special cat." Sirius said with a shrug.

**"****Get off," she murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him.**

**But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Cris and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To her right, Hermione gave a dry sob.**

**Cris stared down at Black and Crookshanks, her grip tightening on the wand. So what if she had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black… If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Cris' business… If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Cris' parents…**

"I'm so sorry," Cris said tightening her hug on her godfather.

"It's alright pup," Sirius murmured into her hair.

**Cris raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge her mother and father. She was going to kill Black. She had to kill Black. This was her chance… the voice came back with a vengeance telling her not to do it.**

"Good listen to that voice." Prongs said.

**The seconds lengthened. And still Cris stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent.**

**And then came a new sound —**

**Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs. **

"Who is it?" Lily J asked suddenly.

"Someone who we can trust." Cris said with a smile to her uncle.

**"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!"**

**Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Cris gripped her wand convulsively — Don't do it! said a voice in her head — but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs and Cris still hadn't done it.**

**The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Cris wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, **

"Good, stop them." Charlie said.

**his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Cris, standing there with her wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Cris' feet.**

**"****Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted.**

"Who did you do that to?" Tonks asked.

"The kids, so that way we could talk." Remus said.

"Smart." Bill said.

**Cris' wand flew once more out of her hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.**

**Cris stood there, feeling suddenly empty. She hadn't done it. Her nerve had failed her. Black was going to be handed back to the Dementors. **

"Thank god you weren't." Cris said.

"I know," Kieran and Scarlett said.

**Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice.**

**"****Where is he, Sirius?"**

"Where is who?" Lily asked.

"It'll explain here in a minute." Hermione said.

**Cris looked quickly at Lupin. She didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? She turned to look at Black again.**

**Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Cris glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.**

**"****But then…" Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "— unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?" **

"Why wouldn't we tell you?" Padfoot asked.

"It probably had to do with my werewolf status." Moony said.

**Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.**

**"****Professor," Cris interrupted loudly, "what's going on —?"**

**But she never finished the question, because what she saw made her voice die in her throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.**

"Good," Robin said.

**Cris felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach. 'Just wait for it," the voice said again.**

**"****I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.**

**Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You — you —"**

**"****Hermione —"**

**"– ****you and him!"**

**"****Hermione, calm down —"**

**"****I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —"**

"Thank you," Remus said.

"You're welcome." Hermione said.

**"****Hermione, listen to me, please" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —"**

**Cris could feel herself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of worry, Hermione was going to tell.**

**"****I trusted you," she shouted at Lupin, Hermione's voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"**

**"****You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…" **

"Yes, let him explain." Scarlett said.

**"****NO!" Hermione screamed. "Cris, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!"**

"**I know, I've known since Halloween." Cris said. They all turned to her.**

"**How did you know?" Lupin asked.**

"**The Wolfsbane gave it away." Cris said. **

**There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.**

**"****Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Cris dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."**

**Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"**

"I'm sorry; I just heard some really bad stuff." Ron said.

"That's alright Ron," Remus said with a smile.

**Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"**

**"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"**

"And that is why he assigned it." Moony said.

"**He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"**

"Both," Hermione and Cris said with a smile which caused most of the group to chuckle.

"**Both," Hermione and Cris said quietly.**

**Lupin forced a laugh.**

"**You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione you too Cris, your parents would be proud."**

"We are," Prongs and Lily said.

"**I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!" **

"**That is why I didn't tell anyone, it wasn't my secret to tell." Cris said quietly.**

"**But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do."**

"**Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf," Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"**

"Yes, but who wants to be normal?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

**"****Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy —"**

**"****AND HE WAS WRONG!" Ron yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!"**

**He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.**

**"****I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"**

**He separated Cris', Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Cris caught hers, stunned.**

**"****There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?" **

"Good, get them to trust you again." Kingsley said.

**Cris didn't know what to think. Was it a trick?**

"No," a lot of people said.

**"****If you haven't been helping him," she said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"**

**"****The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"**

**"****You know how to work it?" Cris said suspiciously.**

**"****Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school."**

"And now you explain it." Prongs said shaking his head.

**"****You wrote —?"**

"It was surprising," Cris said with a smile.

**"****The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"**

**He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.**

**"****You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Cris—"**

**"****How d'you know about the cloak?"**

**"****The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. **

"You doing that a lot." Robin said.

"I wanted to explain it quickly." Remus said.

**"****The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."**

"You were just with Scabbers." Percy said confused.

"It also shows disguises like animagi." Prongs said. Percy was still confused so his mum continued.

**"****What?" said Cris. "No, we weren't!"**

**"****I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Cris' interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"**

**"****No one was with us!" said Cris.**

**"****And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"**

**"****One of us!" Ron said angrily.**

**"****No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you." **

"Ron was holding Scabbers, but unless Scabbers was an animagi then that makes sense." Charlie said.

"But there are no rat animagus registered." Percy said.

"There four unregistered sitting in the room with you." Cris said and with that they changed and changed back.

"But then who can change into a rat?" Percy asked.

"Peter Pettigrew," the trio, and the marauders and the future kids said.

"But he's dead," Percy said.

"No, just hiding." Cris said.

**He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.**

**"****Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.**

**"****What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"**

**"****Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"**

"Give it to him," Tonks said getting what they were saying.

**Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise.**

**Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.**

**"****What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"**

**"****That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.**

"Yes he is," Percy snapped.

"No he isn't." Ron said.

**"****What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"**

**"****No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."**

**"****An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."**

"He's dead though." Percy said.

"Not as dead as you think." Hermione said.

"That's the chapter." Mrs. Weasley said handing the book to Mr. Weasley who opened it and began the next chapter.


	22. Chapter18:Moony Wormtail Padfoot Prongs

"**Chapter 18: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Kit," **Mr. Weasley read.

"Finally!" The marauders exclaimed.

"Took you long enough to tell her." Prongs said with a smile.

**It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Cris was thinking.**

**"You're both mental."**

**"****Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.**

**"****Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Cris. "He killed him twelve years ago!" She pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.**

**"****I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!" **

"Don't do something stupid." Robin said.

"You know me," Sirius said.

"I know which is not a good thing at the time in the book." Robin said.

**And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.**

"Sorry," Sirius said.

"It's healed now, so no worries." Ron said brushing it off.

"It doesn't make it any better to hear though." Mrs. Weasley said.

**"****Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"**

"Listen to Moony, Paddy." Prongs said.

"I do," Sirius said with a sad smile.

**"****We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.**

'If Scabbers was actually a rat he wouldn't be that terrified. Unless what they say is true and that he is actually an animagus, Urgh, I'm so confused.' Percy thought.

**"****They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Cris — you owe Cris the truth, Sirius!"**

"That got him to stop." Remus said.

"Well, Cris meant everything to Sirius when she was born so that doesn't surprise me one bit." Robin said.

**Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.**

**"****All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"**

**"****You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Cris and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."**

"Did you forget that your leg was broken?" Bill asked.

"Yeah, actually then the pain came back with a vengeance." Ron said.

"Yeah, having a broken bone is not fun." Charlie said having his fair share of broken bones.

**He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.**

**"****You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen." **

"Alright, I still think that you're crazy about the rat though." Charlie said.

"You'll see in this chapter and if not the next." Sirius said.

**"****HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled,**

"Exactly," Percy snapped. Everyone turned to glare at him and he backed down so Mr. Weasley continued reading.

**trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Cris caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Cris turned to Lupin.**

**"****There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," she said. "A whole street full of them…"**

**"****They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.**

"So what did they see?" Bill asked.

"Something that they didn't see." Remus said.

**"****Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Cris."**

"That little rat," Prongs sneered.

"But the map must be lying." Bill said.

"No, we made it so that nothing can trick the map." Moony said.

"So Peter is really alive." Charlie said.

"We don't know that yet," Percy snapped again.

**Cris looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds. Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all — but why was Lupin playing along with him? 'Trust them,' the voice said once again. Cris shook her head to clear it and went back to looking at the pair in front of her.**

"It was so confusing; I didn't exactly know who to listen to." Cris said.

"It's alright sweet heart you'll learn which one to listen to sooner or later." Lily said.

"I know," Cris said with a smile.

**Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.**

**"****But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"**

**"****Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.**

"How could you be that calm?" Tonks asked.

"I just always have been." Remus said.

"So that's where Teddy gets it from." Lily J said.

"Seems like it Lils," Teddy said with a loving smile to the girl that he loves.

**"****Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."**

"Ah, but we didn't get the chance to register, it came in very good use during the first war." Sirius said.

"That it did," Robin said thinking back to the horrors of the first war.

**Cris had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh.**

**"****Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be four unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."**

"And we proved it to you guys just a little bit ago." Robin said.

"Got to admit, it is pretty cool." Fred said. But they missed the secret smiles from the future kids.

**"****If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Black, who was still watching Scabbers' every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years; I'm not going to wait much longer."**

**"****All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began…"**

**Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.**

**"****No one there…" **

"But they could have the invisibility cloak. You should have picked it up." Prongs said.

"I know, I was mentally berating myself about that as well." Remus said.

"So the question is; who is under the cloak?" Padfoot asked.

"I don't think we want to know." Moony said sneaking a glance towards Snape.

"**This place is haunted!" said Ron.**

"**It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."**

"That makes sense." Bill said.

"It is a safe place to transform." Charlie said.

**He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"**

**He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Lupin very intently.**

"**I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. My twin sister, Robin, was always by my side. **

"Is there a cure?" Remus asked.

"No, but they are researching it." Teddy said.

"Good," he muttered.

**The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.**

**"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. It was bad enough that my sister was.**

This earned him a slap from Robin.

"I have told you over and over again that I will always be there for you, I'm your sister, idiot." Robin said. Remus nodded but didn't say anything so not to anger his pregnant sister anymore.

**"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Cris. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."**

"Yeah, that would have been bad." George said.

"Someone did come close though," Remus mumbled under his breath and looked over at Snape apprehensibly.

**Cris could see where this story was going, so she was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers' frightened squeaking.**

**"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…**

**"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Cris — James Potter, along with my sister Robin. **

"The five marauders," Padfoot said wistfully.

"Those were the days," Sirius said sadly.

"Remember, they will be changing it." Robin said pointing at the past teens.

**"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… Robin always told them wild stories which I doubt they believed. **

"Nope, not a single word." Padfoot said with a smile.

"We're not that stupid Moony, Kit." Prongs said.

"It was worth a shot." Robin said with a shrug.

**I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione and you Cris worked out the truth…**

"When did you figure it out?" Cris asked.

"I think it might have been third year." Prongs said.

"And the animagi in fifth." Padfoot said.

**"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi, along with my sister." **

"That can be dangerous though." Mrs. Weasley said.

"It's a good thing that I was good at transfiguration then." Prongs said with a cheeky smile that made Mrs. Weasley think of Cris.

**"My dad too?" said Cris, astounded.**

**"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will." **

Cris, Ron and Hermione smiled secretly at each other and Remus, Sirius and Robin noticed it and promised to talk with them after this book.

**"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.**

**"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."**

**"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.**

**"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night.**

"That can be dangerous though." Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"That is why Prongs and I are the bigger animals and Robin can get his attention." Sirius said.

"Well at least you three were there to stop anything from happening." McGonagall said.

**Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check Robin was able to transform into a smaller animal to distract me. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… **

"Those were the days." Robin said with a smile.

"We did have a lot of fun." Sirius said.

**And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs. Robin is Kit"**

"Out of curiosity was Moony intentional?" Charlie asked.

"I came up with it; I thought it was a good pun." Padfoot said with a smile.

**"What sort of animal —?" Cris began, but Hermione cut her off. "That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"**

**"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.**

**"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led four fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…" **

"At least nothing happened." McGonagall said with a sigh.

"We made sure that nothing happened." Robin said.

**Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."**

**"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"**

**"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well."**

"I bet that came as a shock." Tonks said.

"You have no idea." Sirius said.

**He looked up at Cris, Ron, and Hermione.**

**"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —" **

"And I regretted it ever since." Sirius said. Snape quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything else.

**Black made a derisive noise.**

**"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"**

**"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Cris, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"**

**"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Cris slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"**

**"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.**

"Great, he was using the cloak, you better have washed it." Prongs said.

"I did, I think I washed it three times." Cris said.

"Good," Prongs said. Lily J, James and Al looked at each other with looks of disgust.

"I'm really glad that she washed it." James whispered.

"Me too," Al whispered back.

**Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Mr. Weasley said.

"It's my turn," Luna said taking the book.

"When can we eat dinner?" Padfoot asked.

"After this next chapter. Then bed after the book is over." Mrs. Weasley said.


	23. Chapter 19:The Servant of Lord Voldemort

"**Chapter 19: The Servant Of Lord Voldemort," **Luna read, she didn't even stutter at the mention of the name.

"This doesn't sound good." Lily said.

"I don't think anything to do with Voldemort is good." Prongs pointed out.

"True," Lily said.

**Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Cris felt as though she'd received a huge electric shock.**

**"****I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…" **

"I was so stupid." Cris said.

"It's okay, everyone makes mistakes." Lily said with a smile.

**Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight,**

"I really hope that it's not a full moon." Tonks murmured.

"With Cris' luck it probably is," Kingsley whispered.

**so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."**

**"****Severus —" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.**

**"****I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"**

"Well, it was the safest place I could think of." Sirius said with a shrug.

"It is a good place to hide out, nobody ever goes in there." Robin said.

"Are you admitting that I was smart?" Sirius asked with a smirk.

"I believe I am, but don't let it go to your head." Robin said smacking him upside the head.

**"****Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Cris —"**

**"****Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf —"**

**"****You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"**

**BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. **

"You didn't," Tonks snapped and stared at the potion master her hair turning bright red. Snape didn't say anything but sat there quietly and let Luna continue.

**With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.**

**"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."**

**Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.**

**Cris stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe. She glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as she did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"**

"Yes, listen to her, let them explain!" Lily shouted.

"Mum, it's already happened, remember." Cris said.

"Oh yeah," Lily said sheepishly which made Prong chuckle a little bit.

**"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."**

**"But if — if there was a mistake —"**

**"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" **

"How dare you!" McGonagall shouted turning to glare at her colleague.

"Everyone deserves a second chance Severus," Dumbledore said as well.

"What do you expect from a Death Eater," Moody spat. Everyone turned to glare at the potion's master.

"Miss Lovegood, please continue reading." McGonagall said. Luna nodded and continued.

**A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.**

**"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…"**

**"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. **

**"As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly…"**

**"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay… I —" **

"Why was he cut off?" Ginny asked, "Not that I'm mad or anything but I'm just wondering."

"Whatever it is it should be good." Bill said missing the smirks from the trio, Sirius and Remus.

**What little color there was in Black's face left it.**

**"You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —"**

**But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Cris had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason. **

"He probably is," Charlie said earning a glare from the Snape in the room.

**"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too —"**

"I believe I told you to let the past go, they apologized after the incident Severus." Dumbledore said. Snape still didn't say anything so Luna continued reading.

**Before she knew what she was doing, Cris had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.**

**"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —"**

"Cris wasn't in any danger to begin with; we all just thought she was." McGonagall said.

**"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Cris said. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"**

**"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter."**

**"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Cris yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —" **

Many of the adults groaned.

"You yelled at him and didn't even get into trouble." Bill said whistling.

"What, he was really getting on my nerves." Cris said.

"So you yell at him?" Lily asked.

"That's not any different." The future kids said. Cris looked sheepish as the room chuckled a bit.

**"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like daughter, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"**

**Cris made up her mind in a split second. Before Snape could take even one step toward her, she had raised her wand.**

**"**_**Expelliarmus**_**!" she yelled — except that hers wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.**

"You knocked out a teacher?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a panicked voice.

"Yeah," Cris said sheepishly.

"But expelliarmus doesn't do that." Charlie said confused.

"It does if it's combined with another spell." McGonagall said.

**Cris looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment. Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks.**

**"You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Cris. "You should have left him to me…"**

**Cris avoided Black's eyes. She was sure, even now, that she'd done the right thing.**

**"We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…" Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —" **

"No, not if someone told Dumbledore." Bill said.

"True," Hermione said.

**Lupin was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.**

**"Thank you, Cris," he said.**

**"I'm still not saying I believe you," she told Lupin.**

**"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Lupin. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."**

**Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.**

**"Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean…" He looked up at Cris and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?" **

"That is true, how did you know?" Prongs asked.

"They said that they found his finger, so the missing toe would be a giveaway" Lily said.

"That was a brilliant plan." Padfoot said.

**"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Lupin, turning to Black and frowning slightly.**

Prongs and Remus smiled at each other and Luna continued reading.

**"How did you find out where he was?"**

**Black put one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.**

**It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.**

**"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.**

"I always knew that the minister was an idiot." Cris said with a smile.

"I totally agree." Sirius said.

**"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Cris was…"**

**"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"**

**"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.**

**"He's got a toe missing," said Black. **

"Very good plan except for those who knew the truth." Moony said.

"Who knew that he had it in him." Prongs said.

**"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?"**

**"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…" **

**"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."**

**"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"**

**"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"**

"That thought did cross my mind." Bill said.

"But if Peter is Scabbers then he was in the dorm with Cris and Ron for all these years." Lily said. Cris buried into Sirius and he wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"He better not have done anything," Prongs snarled.

"If you would like we can check before the start of the next book." McGonagall said. Cris nodded her head almost fearfully. Luna began again as the guys around the room were seething at the thought of that rat doing something to her.

**"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.**

**"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"**

**"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.**

"Nah, it was Sirius' escape." Robin said.

**But that wasn't right, Cris thought suddenly… Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Black had escaped…**

**"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"**

"How could you communicate with him?" Prongs asked.

"It was kind of the same as we did in school." Sirius said.

"That makes sense." Moony said.

**"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.**

**"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…" **

"So that's where they'd gone." Neville said.

"Sorry about that," Sirius said. Neville waved it off and Luna continued.

**Cris' brain seemed to be sagging under the weight of what she was hearing. It was absurd… and yet…**

**"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." croaked Black. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… **

"No wonder he disappeared for months." Charlie said.

"It was pretty smart of him." Bill said.

**I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once."**

**These words jolted Cris to her senses.**

**"And why did he fake his death?" she said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"**

**"No," said Lupin, "Cris—"**

**"And now you've come to finish him off!"**

**"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers.**

Sirius face palmed.

"I truly was insane." Sirius said.

"It wasn't your fault though." Cris said.

"Yeah dad, you weren't exactly yourself." Keiran said.

**"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Cris shouted.**

**"Cris," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked Peter down —" **

"Finally the truth comes out." Prongs whispered.

**"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Cris yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"**

**She was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly overly bright.**

**"Cris… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me… **

"Now our daughter knows the truth." Lily whispered to Prongs who nodded his head.

**I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"**

**His voice broke. He turned away.**

**"Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Cris had never heard before. **

**"There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."**

**"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Lupin tensely.**

**"Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."**

"Then I hope that it did hurt him." Ron said.

"I'm pretty sure that it did." Remus said.

**Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.**

**Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.**

**"Together?" he said quietly.**

**"I think so", said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"**

**A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —**

**It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up. **

"I think that scared the crap out of us." Hermione said.

"It was pretty terrifying at first." Ron said.

"I'm sure it was," Victoire said.

**He was a very short man, hardly taller than Cris and Hermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers' fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Cris saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.**

**"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. **

"It did when I was in school." Remus said with a chuckle.

"I just wasn't expecting it." Cris said with a sheepish smile.

**"Long time, no see."**

**"S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"**

"Sure, whatever you say." Robin said.

"I'm so glad she wasn't there with us." Sirius whispered. Cris nodded and Luna continued.

**Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.**

**"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"**

People chuckled around the room.

"Good grief, nice sense of humor dad." Teddy said.

"It's had its uses." Remus said with a smile.

**"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Cris could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"**

"For good reason." Sirius said with a growl.

**"So we've heard," said Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —"**

**"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Cris saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…" **

"Like hell I will," Moony said the wolf obviously showing on his face.

**Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.**

**"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.**

**"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"**

**"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Lupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"**

**"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"**

**Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.**

**"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.**

"And that tells you that he wasn't in league with Voldemort." Robin said.

**Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him.**

"**What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"**

"**Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.**

"Oh you know what I mean." Sirius said with a growl.

**"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —" **

"He would be killed on the spot." Gwen said.

"Yeah, he would be." Lily agreed. Cris thought that he should have been but he wasn't and that night early this summer came back fresher than ever. Sirius sensed what she was thinking about and hugged her tightly to comfort her.

**"Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"**

**"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly.**

**"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!" **

"Me a spy, he's got to be joking." Padfoot said.

"I know right," Prongs said.

**Black's face contorted.**

**"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…"**

**Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.**

**"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"**

**"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "Robin and I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you…**

"It was a brilliant rouse though." Lily said.

"Thank you, that's why we thought of it." Robin said.

"If only we thought of telling Dumbledore then it would have been better." Sirius said.

"What's done is done." Remus said quietly.

**It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."**

**Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Cris caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but she couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen color of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.**

**"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"**

**"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.**

**"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Cris' dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Cris before now?"**

More growls were heard as Luna continued reading.

**"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Cris' head! Why should I?"**

**"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for twelve years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"**

**Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk. **

"Good, you little traitor." Padfoot whispered.

**"Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.**

**Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her. **

"Nobody has called me Mr. Black in years, that is why you startled me." Sirius said.

"Sorry, I just wasn't actually sure what to call you." Hermione said.

"Sirius is fine." Sirius said with a smile.

"I got that," Hermione said.

Hermione looked over at Percy who was staring wide eyed at the book in Luna's hands as if he wasn't sure if it was real.

**"If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"**

**"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"**

**But Lupin silenced him with a look. Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.**

**"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…**

Padfoot looked pale and Moony was trying to give him comfort at what was being said.

**"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Cris… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"**

**Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotized.**

**"… ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Cris, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors…**

**"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…"**

**Cris remembered what Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Weasley. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep… always the same words… 'at Hogwarts.'"**

"It was pretty incriminating." Lily said.

"I know," Sirius said.

**"It was as if someone had lit a fire In my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Cris…"**

"Nah, you fly better." Sirius said.

"And I'm cool with that." Prongs said.

"Really?" Cris asked.

"Yup, I'm cool with it." Prongs said. Cris smiled at her father and Luna continued reading.

**He looked at Cris, who did not look away.**

**"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Cris. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."**

"And I would have." Sirius said sadly.

"I know, Siri." Cris said.

**And at long last, Cris believed him. Throat too tight to speak, she nodded.**

"Good," Prongs said.

**Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Cris' nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.**

**"Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't —"**

**Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.**

**"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black. **

**"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this — wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?" **

"Not if they thought I might have been the spy." Remus said.

"Why would we believe that?" Prongs asked.

"At the time Voldemort was offering a place for werewolves were we wouldn't be criticized." Remus said.

"I would never go to him." Moony said.

"Good," the marauders said.

**"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.**

**"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.**

**"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"**

"Always," Padfoot said with a smile.

"Alright you goof let Luna continue reading." Moony said.

**"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"**

**"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.**

"No!" Prongs shouted.

"Why not?" Padfoot said.

"I don't want my friends to become killers." Prongs said. This caused the trio, Sirius and Remus to laugh.

"What did I say?" Prongs asked.

"Let Luna continue reading and you'll see." Remus said. They nodded and turned to Luna.

**"You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.**

**"Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"**

"Nope," Ron said.

"I don't blame you." Charlie said with menace in his voice.

**But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.**

**"I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.**

More growls were heard and Cris whimpered into Sirius' shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, we'll get it checked out but I don't think that anything happened but just to make sure we'll check it out." Sirius whispered. Cris nodded and Luna went on.

**"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"**

**"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly.**

**Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.**

**"Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…"**

"Nope," Hermione said.

**Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.**

**Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Cris.**

**"Cris… Cris… you look just like your father… just like him…"**

"Cris isn't going to like that." Tonks said.

"No, I don't think she will either." Lily said.

**"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO Cris?" roared Black. **

**"HOW DARE YOU FACE HER? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HER?"**

**"Cris," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward her, hands outstretched. "Cris, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Cris… he would have shown me mercy…"**

"That's true." Prongs whispered. Cris smiled, even though she never met her parents and yet she knew them really well.

**Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.**

**"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"**

**Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.**

**"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —" **

"Sure he did, keep telling yourself that." Padfoot said.

**"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"**

"What I want to know is how many people died because of him." Tonks said.

"I really don't want to know." Mrs. Weasley said sadly thinking of her brothers.

**"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"**

"Everything," a lot of people said.

**"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"**

**"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"**

"Better than betraying your friends." Charlie said fiercely.

**"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"**

**Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.**

**"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."**

**Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.**

**"NO!" Cris yelled. **

"Thank god," Lily and Robin whispered.

"I'm happy she stopped you two." Prongs said. Padfoot and Moony nodded and went back to listening intently to the chapter.

**She ran forward, placing herself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," she said breathlessly. "You can't."**

**Black and Lupin both looked staggered.**

**"Cris, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."**

**"I know," Cris panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."**

"Good for you Cris." Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

**"Cris!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Cris' knees. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"**

**"Get off me," Cris spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off her in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."**

"That's true enough." Prongs said.

**No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.**

**"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Cris," said Black. "But think… think what he did…"**

**"He can go to Azkaban," Cris repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"**

**Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.**

**"Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Cris."**

**Cris hesitated.**

**"I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear."**

**Cris stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.**

**"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Cris?"**

**Cris looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.**

**"Right," said Lupin, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, **

"Good, don't try something that could be dangerous." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'm not that stupid," Remus said.

**so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."**

**He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.**

**"That's better," he said. "Thanks."**

**"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.**

"Just leave him." Fred said.

"FRED!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"What, they should have," Charlie whispered in protest.

**"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safety back in the castle. We can take him like this…"**

**He muttered, "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.**

"So you gave it back to her, good." Prongs said.

"Of course, it's rightfully hers." Remus said with a smile.

**"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."**

**"I'll do it," said Lupin.**

**"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.**

**Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers' true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high. **

"That's it," Luna said.

"Alright, I'm going to start dinner." Mrs. Weasley said. Soon dinner was done and they were eating. Luna then passed the book to Gwen who took it apprehensibly.


	24. Chapter 20: The Dementor's Kiss

"**Chapter 20, The Dementor's Kiss," **Gwen read.

"You nearly get kissed!" Lily screeched. Cris nodded and Lily gripped Prongs' hand even tighter than before.

"Let's get this over with." Hermione said. Gwen nodded and started the chapter.

**Cris had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Cris and Hermione brought up the rear.**

**Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Cris could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Cris went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Cris had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this.**

"That's just like you too." Robin said with a smile.

"What, I was very annoyed at him to begin with, that was just making me smile." Sirius said. People besides the teachers rolled their eyes but had a smile on their faces.

**"****You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Cris as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"**

**"****You're free," said Cris.**

**"Yes…" said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."**

**"****Yeah, I knew that," said Cris.**

**"****Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…" **

"I would love my daughter to go and live with Sirius rather than with her aunt and uncle." Prongs said.

"We will be discussing it after everything, and if after all this the past changes which I hope it will." Dumbledore said looking to the past time travelers.

"We most definitely will be changing the past." Padfoot said defiantly.

"Then that is settled." Dumbledore said happily.

**Cris waited. Did Black mean what she thought he meant?**

"Absolutely." Sirius said with a smile.

"I know that now." Cris said with a grin back at her godfather.

**"****I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"**

**Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Cris' stomach.**

**"****What — live with you?" she said, accidentally cracking her head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursley's?"**

**"****Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"**

"You know I thought you insane if you thought I didn't want to leave them." Cris said.

"I understand now," Sirius said with a scowl on his face at the mention of the Dursley's.

**"Are you insane?" said Cris, her voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursley's! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"**

**Black turned right around to look at her; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care. **

"Nope, besides a was a little busy reconnecting with my goddaughter." Sirius said hugging Cris closer to him.

"**You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"**

"**Yeah, I mean it!" said Cris.**

**Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Cris had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Cris' parents' wedding.**

"Was I really that unrecognizable." Padfoot asked.

"Depends on who is asking I guess." Remus said.

"You look recognizable to me." Prongs said looking at the older version of his friend.

"Thanks, but you didn't see me two years ago." Sirius said with a grimace.

**They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches.**

**Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Cris and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.**

**The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Cris' mind was buzzing. She was going to leave the Dursley's. She was going to live with Sirius Black, her parents' best friend… She felt dazed… What would happen when she told the Dursley's she was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television…! The look she pictured was just priceless that caused her to smile.**

"Their actual faces were priceless." Cris said with a laugh.

"Oh I bet," Lily J said through her giggles.

**"****One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.**

**Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then -**

**A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.**

"It's not a full moon is it?" Moony asked.

"It was," Remus said.

"Get out of there!" Prongs and Padfoot yelled.

**Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Cris and Hermione stop.**

**Cris could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake. Cris' mind was screaming at her to get out of there but all she did was stand there.**

"No one was bitten right?" Moony asked flicking his eyes over to Ron as he was the closest person to him in the time in the book.

"No one was bitten." Cris said reassuringly.

"Good," Moony whispered.

**"Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"**

**"Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."**

**But Cris couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin.**

"And enters her noble tendencies." Hermione said.

"What did you expect me to do? One of my best friends was in danger." Cris said.

"I would have done the same thing." Prongs said.

"So she gets it from her dad, good to know." Ron whispered to Hermione who nodded her head.

**She leapt forward but Black caught her around the chest and threw her back.**

**"Leave it to me — RUN!"**

"You don't know how much I wanted to yell at you again." Cris said.

"I understand," Sirius said with a chuckle.

**There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away —**

**As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Cris' side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. **

"I didn't hurt you did I?" Moony asked going pale just as Robin raced to the bathroom again.

"No, I was just fine. Nothing more than what happened in school." Sirius said.

"Good," Moony said with a sigh of relief.

**Cris stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted her — Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap. **

"What did he do to you?" Mrs. Weasley asked angry that a very dangerous person hurt her son.

"I think he tried to confound him." Hermione said.

"He never was that good with charms; his was rather good with potions though." Lily said. Cris closed her eyes in memory of the night at the cemetery.

**"Expelliarmus." Cris yelled, pointing her own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" Cris shouted, running forward.**

**Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Cris saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.**

"Damnit!" Prongs snarled and slammed his hand on the arm of the couch.

"I'm sure they will find him sooner or later." Lily said.

"I hope so." Prongs said. Percy was still sitting open mouthed and in shock, Black was innocent all along, does that mean that everything the minister told him was a lie?

**There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Cris turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest —**

**"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Cris yelled.**

**Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Cris' words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.**

"I was trying to do two things at once, try and find Pettigrew and keeping Moony away from you three." Sirius said.

"Doing two things at once isn't your strong suit." Robin said.

"I know, but I had to try." Sirius said with a 'what-can-you-do' shrug.

**Cris and Hermione dashed over to Ron.**

**"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them. **

"Yeah, the effects of a badly done confundus charm." McGonagall said.

"So Pomfrey will be able to fix him right up." Tonks said.

"I'm right here you know." Ron said.

"Oh yeah," Tonks said.

**"I don't know…"**

**Cris looked desperately around. Black and Lupin both gone… they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair. **

"That was funny though," Cris said.

"Yeah, but a little unnerving." Hermione said.

**"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Cris, pushing her bangs out of her eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"**

**But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain…**

**"Sirius," Cris muttered, staring into the darkness.**

"Please don't let it be me that caused the pain." Moony whispered. But then he noticed the haunted look on Sirius', Cris' and Hermione's faces and remembered the chapter title and paled even more.

**She had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble —**

**Cris set off at a run, Hermione right behind her. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it, and Cris, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean -**

**The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.**

**"Nooo," he moaned. "Nooo… please…"**

**And then Cris saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. She spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating her insides, fog starting to obscure her vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them… **

"Your fine, everything will be just fine." Bill said.

**"Hermione, think of something happy!" Cris yelled, raising her wand, blinking furiously to try and clear her vision, shaking her head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it —**

Lily whimpered and went back to gripping Prong's hand in a vice like grip.

**I'm going to live with my godfather. I'm leaving the Dursley's.**

"Good thought but probably not good enough for that many dementors." Tonks said faintly.

"I had to do something though." Cris said.

"True," Kingsley said. Lily J buried herself in her dad's side fearfully and thankful that none of the younger cousins were there with them.

**She forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant: "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"**

**Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.**

"Don't say it like that." Robin said fearfully.

**He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him.**

**"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!"**

**"Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "expecto — expecto —"**

**But she couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Cris and Hermione, and were getting closer… **

"How do you get out of there?" Lily J asked very quietly.

"With a little help." Cris said giving her daughter a small smile.

**"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Cris yelled, trying to blot the screaming from her ears. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**

**A thin wisp of silver escaped her wand and hovered like mist before her. At the same moment, Cris felt Hermione collapse next to her. She was alone… completely alone…**

**"Expecto — expecto patronum —"**

**Cris felt her knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding her eyes. With a huge effort, she fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — We'll be okay — I'm going to live with him —**

**"Expecto patronum!" she gasped.**

**By the feeble light of her formless Patronus, she saw a Dementor halt, very close to her. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Cris had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.**

**"No — no —" Cris gasped. "He's innocent… expecto expecto patronum —"**

**She could feet them watching her, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around her. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering her. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood.**

"No, no, no, no" Lily chanted over and over again under her breath.

"They're fine, they're over there," Prongs whispered under his breath.

**Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.**

**A paralyzing terror filled Cris so that she couldn't move or speak. Her Patronus flickered and died. **

"It seems impossible, how in the world did you get out of there?" Bill asked.

"Magic," Cris and Hermione said.

"I know that," Bill said.

**White fog was blinding her. She had to fight… expecto patronum… she couldn't see… and in the distance, she heard the familiar screaming… expecto patronum… she groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm… they weren't going to take him…**

**But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Cris' neck. They were forcing her face upward… She could feel its breath… It was going to get rid of her first… She could feel its putrid breath… Her mother was screaming in her ears… She was going to be the last thing she ever heard —**

Cris whimpered and buried herself further in Sirius' warm and protective embrace. Now Al was sitting in the middle of his dads and Fred and George held their children protectively and fearfully against the almost death of their soul mate/mother.

**And then, through the fog that was drowning her, she thought she saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter… She felt herself fall forward onto the grass… Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Cris opened her eyes. The Dementor must have released her. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around her… The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away…**

**Something was driving the Dementors back… It was circling around her and Black and Hermione… They were leaving… **

"Someone is saving you." Charlie said in a sigh of relief.

"But who is it?" Bill asked. Cris shared a smirk with Hermione but didn't say anything else.

**The air was warm again…**

**With every ounce of strength she could muster, Cris raised her head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake… Eyes blurred with sweat, Cris tried to make out what it was… It was as bright as a unicorn… Fighting to stay conscious, Cris watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Cris saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back… raising his hand to pat it… someone who looked strangely familiar… but it couldn't be…**

**Cris didn't understand. She couldn't think anymore. She felt the last of her strength leave her, and her head hit the ground as she fainted.**

"That's the chapter." Gwen said taking a breath and handing it to Prongs. Prongs looked at it for a second and took the book from his daughter's friend.

"I hope that the next chapter isn't too bad." Prongs said.

"It's not too bad," Cris said smiling over at Hermione, the group was about to find out how she got to all of her classes.


	25. Chapter 21: Hermione's Secret

"**Chapter 21: Hermione's Secret,"** Prongs read,

"I think we are about to figure out how Mione been getting to all her classes." Charlie said.

"Good, because it was driving me crazy." Padfoot said.

**"****Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"**

"Wait, where are you?" Lily asked.

"The hospital wing," the trio said.

"That seems to be your second home." Draco said.

"It does seem like it doesn't it?" Cris asked.

**"****Thank you, Minister."**

**"****Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!" **

"But Snape didn't do anything! He was unconscious!" Tonks exclaimed.

"But he could've been the one to have cast that patronus though." Bill said.

"I highly doubt that he was," Charlie said.

**"****Thank you very much indeed, Minister."**

**"****Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"**

**"****As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"**

"Are you trying to get them into trouble?" Charlie asked.

"I was merely stating the truth." Snape said snidely.

"It wouldn't happened if you would have listened and let Remus and Sirius explain what happened then you wouldn't have been knocked out by three third years." Bill said.

"That's got to hurt." The marauders and both sets of twins said.

**"****No!"**

**"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —" **

"Really now Severus? All the times she has really broken the rules was to save someone and prevent Voldemort from returning." Dumbledore said.

"Three years earlier than when he did," Snape snapped. Cris paled and jumped off her godfathers lap and ran out of the room.

"What the hell Snape! You do not just through that out there after what she's been through." Sirius shouted. Lily and Hermione had followed Cris into the girl's room where they found her on the floor with her arms around her legs.

"Cris, come on, we all know that Snape's a git, you can't let him get to you." Hermione said leaning down and hugging her friend.

"He doesn't know, I have dreams about it, his voice haunts me." Cris cried flinging her arms around Hermione's neck and cried into her shoulder.

"What happened sweetie?" Lily asked, "Is it about Cedric?"

"Yeah, it's my fault, if I hadn't told him to take it with me he would still be alive." Cris cried.

"BOLT, how many times have I told you that it wasn't your fault, nobody knew that the cup was a portkey and a way for Voldemort to come back." Hermione said.

"I know," Cris said as the tears began to stop. She then wrapped her arms around her mum.

"Don't listen to Sev; he's just sore that I fell in love with James rather than him." Lily said rubbing her back.

"Ready to go back in and see what your father has done to his rival?" Lily asked.

"Screw that, I'm betting it was a mixture of Sirius, Remus, the twins, Ron, her kids, Bill, Charlie, and Keiran." Hermione said with a smile on her face. Cris nodded and laughed. They walked back into the room to see Snape sitting in his seat with a black eye and a bleeding nose. Sirius got to her first and picked her up in a hug.

"Are you okay now, pup?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, I just really didn't want to hear that." Cris said, "Who got to Snape?"

"Keiran, your dad was about to but Keiran was faster." Sirius said.

"Alright, dad, can you please continue, I feel better now." Cris said.

"Are you sure?" Prongs asked.

"Yeah, I do feel better," Cris said. Prongs nodded and continued reading.

"**Ah, well, Snape… Cristal Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where she's concerned."**

"**And yet — is it good for her to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat her like any other student.**

"No you don't," many people said.

**And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading her friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for her protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe she has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"**

"**Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The girl has undoubtedly been foolish…" **

"That's not any different though," Charlie said with a teasing smile.

Cris tossed a pillow at him and he snatched it before it could hit him.

**Cris lay listening with her eyes tight shut. She felt very groggy. The words she was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from her ears to her brain, so that it was difficult to understand… Her limbs felt like lead; her eyelids too heavy to lift… She wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever…**

**"What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"**

"Alright, so it wasn't Snape, but it was someone that Cris said looked familiar, could it have been Robin?" Charlie asked.

"Sadly, no. I was in my lonely little apartment in France packing to head back to London." Robin said.

"So who was it then?" Bill asked completely missing the looks between Cris, Hermione and Ron.

**"No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"**

**"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Cris, and the girl —"**

**"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."**

**There was a pause. Cris' brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of her stomach…**

"Oh yeah, they still think that Sirius isn't innocent." James said.

"Yeah," Cris said.

"How in the world did you get him out of there." Charlie asked.

"You're about to find out." Hermione said.

**She opened her eyes.**

**Everything was slightly blurred. Somebody had removed her glasses. She was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, she could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to her, bending over a bed. Cris squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm.**

**Cris moved her head over on the pillow. In the bed to her right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, and when she saw that Cris was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside.**

**Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Cris' bed. She turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate she had ever seen in her life. It looked like a small boulder.**

Both Remus', Al and Teddy groaned at the description of the chocolate. This made most of the people chuckle at the four of them.

"Are you sure you're ours?" George asked Al with mock seriousness.

"Absolutely, I just think it has to do with being named after Remus." Al said.

"Or hanging out with Teddy." Lily J said with a smile.

"I think that's it," Cris said with a smile.

**"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Cris' bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.**

**"How's Ron?" said Cris and Hermione together.**

**"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?" **

"Going to save an innocent person from being kissed." Cris said.

"But how are you going to do that?" Tonks asked.

"With whatever Hermione's been hiding of course." Padfoot said with a smile.

"So what does she have?" Prongs asked.

"It'll tell you here in a little bit." Hermione said.

**Cris was sitting up, putting her glasses back on, and picking up her wand.**

**"I need to see the headmaster," she said.**

**"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"**

"NO!" everybody yelled as Sirius paled. He didn't think that he was that close to death.

**"WHAT?"**

**Cris jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same. But her shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.**

**"Cris, Cris, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed — has she had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.**

**"Minister, listen!" Cris said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"**

**But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.**

"What is he trying to do now?" Robin asked.

"Being a stupid idiot like he always is." Cris said. Percy looked shocked, he could understand where the minister was coming from but they were not acting like they were confunded at all, he should have listened to them.

"**Cris, Cris, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"**

"**YOU HAVEN'T!" Cris yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"**

"**Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Cris' side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. **

"**I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"**

"**You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job on them…" **

"You are a son of a bitch you know that? You're letting an innocent man almost get kissed, how can you live with yourself?" Lily asked. Snape looked actually ashamed but didn't say anything else about it.

**"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Cris roared.**

**"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and she should not be distressed!"**

**"I'm not distressed; I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Cris said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"**

**But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Cris' mouth; she choked, and she seized the opportunity to force her back onto the bed.**

**"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."**

**The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. **

"Good, he'll listen to you." Mrs. Weasley said.

"But I don't think he'll make Fudge listen at all." Tonks said.

"No, probably not." Dumbledore said.

**Cris swallowed her mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.**

**"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"**

**"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"**

**"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Miss Potter and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"**

**"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"**

"I was telling the truth, Snape, or are you that blinded not to see it because of a horrible trick that I regret to this day?" Sirius asked. Snape still didn't say anything just sat there and Prongs continued a little bit angry about the whole thing.

**"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.**

**"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."**

**"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."**

**"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"**

"Listen to the girls for once in your life, they are telling the fucking truth!" Remus snarled. Teddy looked taken aback just like everyone else in the room, they never heard Remus cuss before now.

**"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"**

"How is he minister?" Al asked.

"I have absolutely no idea. I sure as hell didn't vote for him." Robin said.

**"I would like to speak to Cris and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."**

**"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest —"**

**"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."**

"What are you talking to them about?" Kingsley asked.

"Something that would help Sirius." Dumbledore said. That confused everyone even more.

**Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.**

**"The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."**

**He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.**

**"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.**

**"I wish to speak to Cris and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.**

**Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.**

**"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. **

"I wasn't trying to kill you, you know." Sirius said.

"It seemed like it at the time." Snape snapped back at him.

"You really need to learn to let things go." Robin said.

**"You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"**

**"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.**

**Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Cris and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time.**

"You two seem to do that a lot." Remus said.

"It's the thought process." Cris and Hermione said. This caused the group to chuckle a bit more.

**"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"**

**"— he's a rat —"**

**"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"**

**"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"**

**But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.**

**"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper." **

"We should have told you, I'm sorry." Sirius said.

"It's not your fault Sirius; you were doing it to protect them." Dumbledore said.

"It was an option and I took it, although it might have been better if we made Robin the secret, secret-keeper." Sirius said.

"It's not your fault, James, continue reading please." Robin said.

**"Professor Lupin can tell you —" Cris said, unable to stop herself.**

**"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —" **

"It does seem like everything is against you." Bill said.

"It almost always is." Cris said.

**"But —"**

**"Listen to me, Cris. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."**

**"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —"**

**"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence." **

"That is certainly true, so how in the world do you save Sirius?" Tonks asked.

"A magical object." Hermione said with a smile.

**"But you believe us."**

**"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly.**

"Thank god for that." Lily said quietly.

**"But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"**

"No, but I wish you did at that point in time." Cris muttered.

"What I want to know is why they didn't use the truth serum on him, then they would have freed." Hermione said.

"That is a very good idea." Kingsley said.

**Cris stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath her were falling sharply away. She had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. She had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. But no… their last hope was gone.**

**"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Cris to Hermione, "is more time."**

"What, but that could only mean that she has a time turner." Bill muttered under his breath.

**"But —" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"**

**"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. **

"But who is the other one?" Tonks asked.

"Buckbeak?" Charlie asked.

"Possibly," Bill said.

**But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… You — must — not — be —seen."**

"But what are you doing?" Robin asked.

"I think I know now." Remus said with a smile.

**Cris didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.**

**"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**

"A time-turner?" Victoire asked. Hermione and Cris smiled but didn't say anything else.

**"Good luck?" Cris repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"**

**But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. **

"It is a time-turner," Mr. Weasley said.

"So that's how you were getting to all your classes." Moony said. Hermione nodded but didn't say anything else.

**"Cris, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"**

**Cris moved toward her, completely bewildered.**

**She was holding the chain out. She saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it. **

"That would definitely do the trick," Padfoot said with a smile.

**"Here —"**

**She had thrown the chain around her neck too.**

**"Ready?" she said breathlessly.**

**"What are we doing?" Cris said, completely lost. **

"Come one Cris, keep up." Sirius said with a smile.

"You know, if I were you I wouldn't be saying things like that while I am sitting on your lap." Cris said with a sweet smile.

"You are evil just like your mum." Sirius said. Cris just kept smiling and Prongs continued reading with a smile on his face.

**Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.**

**The dark ward dissolved. Cris had the sensation that she was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past her, her ears were pounding, she tried to yell but couldn't hear her own voice —**

**And then she felt solid ground beneath her feet, and everything came into focus again —**

**She was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. She looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into her neck. They had gone back in time! Cris thought widely.**

**"Hermione, what —?"**

**"In here!" Hermione seized Cris' arm and dragged her across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed her inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them. **

"Is there something that you two aren't telling us?" Charlie asked with a smile. Ginny turned and slapped him upside the head.

"We are very straight thank you very much." Cris and Hermione said at the same time again.

"No, you're sitting," the twins said confused which caused the future kids, Lily, Cris, Hermione and Gwen to giggle.

"It means that we aren't gay." Hermione said.

"Oh," they said.

**"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"**

**"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Cris' neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"**

"You know, you didn't have to pretend." Hermione said.

"I know, I was still trying to fight back what I was taught when I was little." Cris said.

"Things like that take a while, so don't blame yourself." Lily said.

**Cris found her own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that she was having a very bizarre dream.**

**"But —"**

**"Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door.**

**"Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"**

**"Are you telling me," Cris whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?" **

"That does sound very strange when you put it that way." Tonks said.

"Imagine how we feel." James said.

"Or us," the past marauders said.

"Yeah, seeing yourselves older does seem like quite a shock." Kingsley said.

**"Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak — " She broke off, still listening intently. "We've gone down the front steps…"**

"Okay, is this the weirdest thing you've ever done?" Remus asked.

"At the moment yes." Cris said.

"That's not what you said in the future." Lily J said.

"It happened in your seventh year so we can't say anything." James said.

"No fair." People said.

**Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Cris wanted a few questions answered.**

**"Where did you get that hourglass thing?" even though she knew what it was called.**

**"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. **

"You just did," Bill said with a smile.

"Well I know how Cris can be and I knew that she would pester me about it until I told her." Hermione said.

"Yeah, I would have." Cris said with a smile.

**Cris stared at her shadowy face.**

**"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," he said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…" **

"You rescued Buckbeak when you went back in time." Bill said in understanding.

"Yep," they said with a smile.

**"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"**

**Cris frowned; she felt as though she were screwing up her whole brain in concentration. Then she remembered, Buckbeak.**

**"Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life…" And then it hit her. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"**

**"But — how will that help Sirius?" **

"Sirius is going to fly away with him." Kingsley said.

"Sweet!" Padfoot exclaimed.

**"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!"**

"She gets this from Lily," Prongs said.

"I can tell, I don't think this could possibly come from you." Moony said.

"Hey!"

People started to chuckle again until Prongs decided to continue reading.

**From what Cris could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified.**

"It was possible for us to be seen." Hermione said.

"You weren't, were you?" Lily asked.

"No,"

"Absolutely not,"

"They were," Charlie said.

"Not good," Tonks said.

**"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"**

**"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Cris. She stood up and pressed her ear against the door. "Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go."**

**Cris pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.**

**"If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them. **

"It wouldn't matter, everyone knows that your friends with Hagrid." Ginny said.

"That's good; they will just think that we are going to talk with him before they killed Buckbeak." Robin said.

**"We'll run for it," said Cris determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"**

**"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!' said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!" **

"That was probably the weirdest thing I ever said." Hermione said.

"Yeah, I can really see that." Padfoot said.

**Still working out what she meant, Cris set off at a sprint, Hermione behind her. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…**

**Safe in the shadows of the trees, Cris turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside her, panting.**

**"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Cris…"**

**They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Cris heard her own voice.**

"It was really weird. Like I was hearing a recording." Cris said.

"Yeah, I would feel that way too." Lily said.

"It's kind of like seeing Aunt Ginny as a teenager." Lily J said.

"You do look like her," Mrs. Weasley said. Lily J and Ginny blushed and Prongs continued reading to prevent his granddaughter from anymore embarrassment for the moment.

**"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."**

**"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.**

**"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Cris said fervently.**

"I still want to know what else I've done that makes me change my mind about this event." Cris said.

"Sorry, can't tell you that mum." Al said.

"Darn," Cris said.

**"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"**

**They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.**

**"Now?" Cris whispered.**

**"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"**

"That won't give you much time." Robin said.

"But they did it." Sirius said.

"That's incredible that they did it and they were seen as well." Remus said.

"But you don't know by who." Robin said.

"That's true," Remus said.

**"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Cris. This was starting to seem impossible.**

**At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.**

**"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —" **

"Just don't do anything stupid," Lily said.

"Let's just say that I'm glad that Hermione was there with me." Cris said.

**Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.**

**"Hermione," said Cris suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"**

**"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"**

"Thank god for Hermione." The twins said.

"I understand that you wanted to grab the rat but it would have been disastrous." Kingsley said.

**"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"**

"And Hagrid might kill you before you had a chance to explain." Tonks said.

"That would have been very bad." Padfoot said.

**"Cris, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.**

**"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Cris, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"**

**"Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!" **

"Yeah, don't do that," Al said.

"We want to be born." James said. People shook their heads and rolled their eyes, they were definitely the sons of the Weasley twins.

**"Okay!" said Cris. "It was just an idea, I just thought —"**

**But Hermione nudged her and pointed toward the castle. Cris moved her head a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.**

**"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.**

**And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and Cris saw herself, Ron, and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of her life, standing behind the tree, and watching herself in the pumpkin patch. **

"I can't even picture it." Charlie said.

"You have to be there, it is very difficult to explain." Cris said.

**"It's Okay, Beaky, it's okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Cris, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."**

**"Hagrid, we can't —"**

**"We'll tell them what really happened —"**

**"They can't kill him —"**

**"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"**

**Cris watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over her and Ron.**

**"Go quick. Don' listen…"**

**There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Cris watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. She, Ron, and Hermione had gone… but the Cris and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.**

**"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.**

**"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.**

**Cris pulled her head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.**

**"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure-" **

"Good that should take some time." Gwen said.

"It did," Cris said.

**Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.**

**"Wait here," Cris whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it."**

**As Fudge's voice started again, Cris darted out from behind her tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak. **

"So the gymnastics comes in use." Gwen said. Cris just smiled at her friend and let her dad continue.

**"It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall he executed on the sixth of June at sundown—"**

**Careful not to blink, Cris stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Cris began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.**

**"… sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair…"**

**"Come on, Buckbeak," Cris murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly… quietly…"**

**"… as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here…"**

**Cris threw all her weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.**

People were biting their lips and fingernails.

"Come on Buckbeak," Ginny whispered.

**"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"**

**"No, I — I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone —"**

**Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.**

**"Buckbeak, move!" Cris hissed.**

**Cris tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.**

**"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Cris heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster.**

"Did you know what was going on?" Sirius asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Possibly," Dumbledore said with the twinkle still present in his eyes.

**Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.**

**"Cris, hurry!" she mouthed.**

**Cris could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. She gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…**

**"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Cris looked over her shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.**

**"Stop!" she whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us."**

**Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Cris, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence… then —**

**"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"**

**"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"**

**"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice. **

"You did know," Neville said simply which caused the headmaster to chuckle a bit more.

**"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.**

**There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.**

**"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"**

"So that's what you heard." Lily J said.

"Yes, it was." Cris said.

**Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Cris and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.**

**"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest."**

**"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused.**

"That's true, but that is exactly what happened." Ron said with a laugh.

**"Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."**

**"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"**

**Cris and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.**

**"Now what?" whispered Cris, looking around.**

"You wait." Robin said.

"That would have been torturous for me." Padfoot said.

"That is why it is Cris and Hermione doing this." Lily said.

**"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"**

"Yep, a long wait." Gwen said.

**She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.**

**"We're going to have to move," said Cris, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."**

"And it's going to be extremely weird for you." Bill said.

"This whole experience was weird." Hermione said.

"That's true." Charlie said.

**"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Cris, remember…"**

**They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.**

**"There's Ron!" said Cris suddenly.**

**A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.**

**"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"**

"You have no idea how much I just wanted to grab the rat." Cris said.

"I bet it took all your patience." Gwen said.

"It did as well as Hermione." Cris said.

**And then they saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere. Cris watched herself and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then she saw Ron dive.**

**"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"**

**"There's Sirius!" said Cris. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Cris over, then seize on…**

**"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Cris, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots.**

"It did," Hermione agreed.

"You know, I don't know if you agreed at the time." Cris said.

"I don't think I did either." Hermione said.

**"Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you — this is weird —"**

"Every time we were hit we rubbed the spot it hit us in." Cris said.

"I would have too." Sirius said.

**The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.**

**"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.**

**"And there we go…" Cris muttered. "We're in."**

**The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.**

"That was so close, you three were almost caught." Tonks said.

"No kidding." The trio said.

**"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us…"**

**"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Cris bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot…"**

**They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —**

**"Here comes Lupin!" said Cris as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and halting toward the Willow. Cris looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.**

"Moonlight doesn't matter, the moon hadn't risen yet so I safe for now." Remus said.

"It was just a myth from Muggle stories then." Cris said.

**They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.**

**"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Cris. "It's just lying there…"**

"I should have." Remus said.

"What's done is done." Robin said.

**She turned to Hermione.**

**"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"**

**"Cris, we mustn't be seen!"**

**"How can you stand this?" she asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" She hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"**

**"Cris, no!"**

**Hermione seized the back of Cris' robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands. **

"It would have been bad if he had seen you." Mrs. Weasley said.

"It's a good thing I had Hermione with me." Cris said.

**"See?" Hermione whispered. "See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!"**

**The Hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Cris seized his rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly.**

"Poor Buckbeak," Charlie said sadly.

"Don't worry, they will be reunited." Cris said.

**Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow.**

**Cris' fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.**

"Don't you dare touch it." Said the Potter's in the room.

**"Get your filthy hands off it," Cris snarled under her breath.**

**Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.**

**"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…"**

"How long did you have to wait?" Tonks asked.

"An hour or two." Cris said.

"It didn't seem that long though." Fred said.

"It was," Hermione said.

**She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.**

**"Harry, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"**

**Cris sat down too. She explained what she'd seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to Cris', a large silver something had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.**

**Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time Cris had finished.**

**"But what was it?"**

**"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," said Cris. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."**

"But who conjured it." Bill asked.

**"But who conjured it?"**

**Cris didn't say anything. She was thinking back to the person she'd seen on the other bank of the lake. She knew who she thought it had been… but how could it have been? **

"What does that mean?" James asked.

**"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"**

**"No," said Cris. "He wasn't a teacher." **

"So whoever it was, it wasn't a teacher, it wasn't Robin, could it have been an older student?" Charlie asked.

"It wasn't an older student." Cris said.

"Then who was it?" Bill asked.

**"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away… If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see —?"**

**"Yeah, I saw him," said Cris slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterward…"**

**"Who did you think it was?"**

**"I think —" Cris swallowed, knowing how strange this was going to sound. "I think it was my dad."**

"I wish it was me, but it wasn't me." Prongs said.

"Then… my brain hurts." Padfoot said.

"That's not hard to do though." Moony said.

**Cris glanced up at Hermione and saw that her mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at her with a mixture of alarm and pity.**

Sirius held Cris tighter but didn't say anything else.

**"Cris, your dad's — well — dead," she said quietly.**

"And you yell at me for tact." Ron said.

"I had no idea what to say, that was the first thing that came to mind." Hermione said.

**"I know that," said Cris quickly.**

**"You think you saw his ghost?"**

**"I don't know… no… he looked solid…"**

**"But then —"**

**"Maybe I was seeing things," said Cris. "But… from what I could see… it looked like him… I've got photos of him…"**

**Hermione was still looking at her as though worried about her sanity.**

"I was," Hermione said with a laugh.

"Oh yes, I'm definitely insane." Cris said.

**"I know it sounds crazy," said Cris flatly. She turned to look at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms. But she wasn't really watching Buckbeak.**

**She was thinking about her father and about her father's four oldest friends… Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Kit… Had all five of them been out on the grounds tonight? Wormtail had reappeared this evening when everyone had thought he was dead… Was it so impossible her father had done the same? So where was Robin? Cris looked around but no one else was around to see and she had no idea what type of animal she could be, possibly a fox but she wasn't sure.**

"If I was alive I would have found you." Prongs said sadly.

"If I was there I would have helped you." Robin said.

**Had she been seeing things across the take? The figure had been too far away to see distinctly… yet she had felt sure, for a moment, before she'd lost consciousness…**

**The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting. **

"I don't change until it the moon was fully risen." Remus said. Everybody nodded at the silent question they were asking.

**And then, at last, after over an hour…**

**"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.**

**She and Cris got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione… then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Cris and Black. They all began to walk toward the castle.**

**Cris' heart was starting to beat very fast. She glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon…**

**"Cris," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what s was thinking, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…"**

**"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…" said Cris quietly.**

**"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!" **

"Though I wanted to as well." Hermione said.

"It would have done a lot of good if you could have though, however it does seem impossible." Bill said.

**"All right!"**

**The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement —**

**"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming."**

**"Hermione!" said Cris suddenly. "We've got to move!"**

"Wait, why?" Ginny asked.

"They're in my path." Moony said with wide eyes.

**"We mustn't, I keep telling you —"**

**"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"**

**Hermione gasped.**

**"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment —"**

**"Back to Hagrid's!" Cris said. "It's empty now — come on!"**

"That's a good place to hide." Kingsley said.

**They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them…**

**The cabin was in sight; Cris skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past her; Cris threw herself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.**

**"Shh, Fang, it's us!" said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quiet him. "That was really close!" she said to Cris.**

**"Yeah…"**

"Too close for comfort." Percy finally said. Everyone to turn look at him, they could tell that this experience was going to bring him back.

**Cris was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap. **

People chuckled and Prongs continued.

**"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Cris slowly. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"**

**Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious.**

**"I'm not going to try and interfere," said Cris quickly. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"**

**"Well… okay, then… I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Cris, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the Dementors." **

"Please don't do something stupid, you can't do a corporeal patronus." Mrs. Weasley said white faced.

**Cris stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. She could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius… She and Hermione would be running to him any moment…**

**Cris stared out toward the lake, her heart doing a kind of drumroll in her chest… Whoever had sent that Patronus would be appearing at any moment…**

**For a fraction of a second she stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid's door. You must not be seen. But she didn't want to be seen. She wanted to do the seeing… She had to know…**

**And there were the Dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake… They were moving away from where Cris stood, to the opposite bank… She wouldn't have to get near them…**

"Thank god for that." George said with a pale face.

**Cris began to run. She had no thought in her head except her father… If it was him… if it really was him… she had to know, had to find out…**

"Cris," everyone said.

**The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, she could see tiny glimmers of silver — her own attempts at a Patronus —**

**There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Cris threw herself behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through him — any moment now —**

**"Come on!" she muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on —"**

**But no one came. Cris raised her head to look at the circle of Dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time —**

**And then it hit her — she understood. She hadn't seen her father she had seen herself — 'you look just like your father….' It had been her along. **

"Wait, what?" everyone asked.

"A paradox, they had been there the whole time." Lily said.

"But how did Dumbledore know about it?" Padfoot asked.

"He's Dumbledore, he knows almost everything." Prongs said with a shrug.

**Cris flung herself out from behind the bush and pulled out her wand.**

**"EXPECTO PATRONUM! " she yelled.**

**And out of the end of her wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. She screwed up her eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from her, across the black surface of the lake. She saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors… Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone. **

"That is amazing!" Tonks cried.

"A full-fledged patronus at thirteen, that is very impressive." Moody said. Cris blushed and hid in her hair and godfather's shoulder.

**The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Cris across the still surface of the water. It wasn't a horse. It wasn't a unicorn, either. It was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above… it was coming back to her…**

Prongs nearly dropped the book and looked up at his daughter.

"It's me," Prongs said with tear almost falling down his face.

"You're protecting our baby girl." Lily said crying.

"I will always protect her." Prongs said turning back to the book with a smile on his face.

**It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Cris with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head. And Cris realized…"Prongs," she whispered.**

The rest of the marauders had smiles on their faces with the older ones having tears in their eyes.

**But as her trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature, it vanished.**

**Cris stood there, hand still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of her heart, she heard hooves behind her. She whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward her, dragging Buckbeak behind her.**

**"What did you do?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"**

**"I just saved all our lives…" said Cris. "Get behind here behind this bush — I'll explain."**

**Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.**

**"Did anyone see you?"**

**"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"**

**"Cris, I can't believe it… You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That's very, very advanced magic." **

"This is Cris we are talking about." Remus said.

"I know, when she puts her mind to it she can do anything." Hermione said.

**"I knew I could do it this time," said Cris, "because I'd already done it… Does that make sense?"**

"No," said most of the group.

**"I don't know — Cris, look at Snape!"**

**Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Cris, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fourth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.**

**"Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing…" **

"So in other words, don't be late." Neville said.

"Yeah," Cris and Hermione said.

**They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.**

**"Do you reckon he's up there yet?" said Cris, checking her watch. She looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.**

**"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"**

**Cris stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.**

**"Macnair!" said Cris. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione —"**

**Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Cris gave her a leg up. Then she placed her foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of her. She pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins. **

"You're going to be flying on him again." Charlie said with a smile.

"Yeah," Cris said with a smile while Hermione grimaced.

**"Ready?" she whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me —"**

**She nudged Buckbeak's sides with her heels.**

**Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Cris gripped his flanks with her knees, feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them. Hermione was holding Cris very tight around the waist; she could hear her muttering, "Oh, no — I don't like this oh, I really don't like this —"**

"I prefer my feet on the ground." Hermione said.

"I don't blame you." Neville said with an understanding smile.

**Cris urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… Cris pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Cris was trying to count the windows flashing past —**

**"Whoa!" she said, pulling backward as hard as she could.**

**Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.**

"I don't think that counts." George said.

**"He's there!" Cris said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. She reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.**

**Black looked up. Cris saw his jaw drop. **

"Now that I can't imagine." Prongs said.

"It was very surprising to me." Sirius said.

"Of course you thought that they would be in the hospital wing." Robin said.

**He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.**

**"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Cris' robes with her left hand.**

**"Alohomora!"**

"Is that really all it took?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said.

"Hmmm," Kingsley and Tonks muttered.

**The window sprang open.**

**"How — how —?" said Black weakly, staring at the Hippogriff.**

"I would have loved to see your face." Keiran and Remus said.

"It was pretty amazing." Cris said with a laugh. Sirius smirked and started to tickle her. He soon stopped and let Prongs continue reading again.

**"Get on — there's not much time," said Cris, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold her steady. "You've got to get out of here — the Dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."**

**Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione.**

**"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Cris, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower — come on."**

**The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Cris and Hermione slid off her at once.**

"I was so glad to get off of him." Hermione said.

"I could tell," Cris and Sirius said with a smile.

**"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Cris panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."**

**Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.**

**"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.**

"Nice to know that you cared." Ron said.

"Of course, I felt that it was my fault." Sirius said.

"**He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick — go —"**

**But Black was still staring down at Cris.**

"**How can I ever thank —"**

"**GO!" Cris and Hermione shouted together.**

"Trying to get rid of me?" Sirius asked cheekily.

"I was worried that we didn't have enough time." Cris said.

"That would have been really bad." Remus said.

**Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.**

"**We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your father's daughter, Cris…"**

"That you are," Prongs said with a smile. Cris smiled back a feeling of being loved flowing through her.

**He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Cris and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The Hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as Cris gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.**

"Where did you go?" Prongs asked passing the book to Lily.

"I traveled for a bit," Sirius said.

"It sounded like you had fun." Cris said.

"I did," Sirius said with a smile over at Robin. Robin blushed brightly.

"Alright, this is the last chapter; can I finish it tonight please?" Lily asked. The group nodded and Lily started the last chapter.


	26. Chapter 22: Owl Post Again

"**Chapter 22: Owl Post Again," **Lily read.

"What? More mail, okay then." Keiran said.

"I hope it's good news." Padfoot said.

"Maybe," the trio said.

**"****Cris!"**

**Hermione was tugging at her sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —"**

**"****Okay," said Cris, wrenching her gaze from the sky, "let's go…"**

**They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.**

**"… ****only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?" **

"No it won't." Sirius said in a sing song voice. This caused a lot of people to chuckle.

**"****As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Cris' back in her right mind, I expect she'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved her…" **

"You didn't save her, you were just milking it." Robin snapped the hormones coursing through her not helping matters any.

"He did get them to the hospital wing though." Tonks said.

"That is the only good thing that he has done." Ginny said simply.

**Cris clenched her teeth. She caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Cris and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Cris and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead. **

"Damnit Peeves, he has horrible timing." Moony said.

"That he does." Prongs agreed.

**"****Peeves!" Cris muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. "In here!"**

**They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.**

**"****Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius…" She checked her watch. **

**"****Three minutes, Cris!"**

"You're cutting it close there." Bill said.

"We know; if it wasn't for Peeves than it would have been okay." Cris said.

**They waited until Peeves' gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.**

**"****Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Cris panted.**

**"****I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!" **

"It would have been bad." Remus said. This caused Mrs. Weasley to bit her lip and Lily was worried and continued reading.

**They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Cris!"**

**They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.**

**"****I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**

"Good, you're on time." Charlie said with a sigh of relief.

**Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Cris and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. "Well?" he said quietly.**

**"****We did it!" said Cris breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"**

**Dumbledore beamed at them.**

"I was very proud of you." Dumbledore said. Cris and Hermione smiled and Lily continued reading.

**"****Well done. I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"**

**Cris and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Cris and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.**

**"****Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" **

"And she doesn't suspect a thing." Charlie said.

"This is hilarious." Padfoot said with a laugh.

**She was in a very bad mood. Cris and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. **

"Good idea, you don't want to be on the bad side of Pomfrey." Prongs said.

"We know," the trio and the future kids said.

**Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Cris could hardly swallow. She and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling… And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…**

"Really Severus, are you trying to wake up the whole school?" Tonks asked with slight humor in her voice. Snape didn't say anything but the future kids laughed at it.

**"****What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.**

**Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.**

**"****Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"**

**Cris was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer —**

**"****He must have Disapparated, Severus. **

"Man the minister is an idiot." Moony said.

"I know, I don't even know how he got elected in the first place." Bill said.

**We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —"**

**"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!"**

"You can't prove it." Robin said with a smile.

"Now I can." Snape said.

"Well they won't believe you, they think I'm a nutcase, or have you forgotten?" Cris asked.

"I'm highly aware of it Potter," Snape sneered. Cris just glared right back at him which made him want to recoil but didn't, the glare reminded him so much of Lily.

**"****Severus — be reasonable — Cris has been locked up —"**

"That's what you think." Ginny said with a smile.

**BAM.**

**The door of the hospital wing burst open.**

**Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself.**

"Indeed I was." Dumbledore said with a chuckle.

**Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.**

**"****OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"**

**"****Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"**

"Or I will kick you out!" Ginny cried in a voice that sounded like Madame Pomfrey. Everyone jumped and when they noticed Ginny laughing they started to laugh as well.

"God Gin, don't do that." Charlie said through his laughs. Ginny just smiled but didn't say anything else.

**"****See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"**

**"****THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled,**

"Wow, I don't think I have ever seen Snape this unhinged." Bill said with a smirk.

"I do the impossible." Cris said with a smile.

**pointing at Cris and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.**

**"****Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"**

**"****YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "SHE DID IT, I KNOW SHE DID IT —"**

"Take a chill pill man," Teddy said. This caused the group to laugh besides the teachers.

"Man Moony, I love your son." Padfoot said through his laughs.

"Sorry, Uncle Padfoot, but I don't swing that way." Teddy said. This caused them to laugh even harder. It took them about ten minutes to calm down and Lily started reading again.

**"****That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"**

**"****Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"**

"And now they have a very convincing alibi." Sirius said.

"Yes, yes they do." Remus said with a smile.

**"****Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Cris and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."**

Snape turned to glare at the headmaster; it was his fault that the brat got away with everything.

**Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.**

**"****Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."**

**"****Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."**

"That's an understatement of the century." Bill said.

"No kidding," Prongs said.

**"****He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry…"**

**"****And the Dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"**

**"****Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent girl… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"**

"That would be awesome!" Charlie exclaimed.

"No it wouldn't be." Mrs. Weasley screeched.

**"****Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Cris and Hermione. **

"Of course he would." Padfoot said with a fond smile.

"I don't want my daughter around anymore dragons though." Lily said.

"I'm sure she won't be," Prongs said, though they missed the looks from everyone else in the room.

**As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.**

**There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.**

**"What — what happened?" he groaned. "Cris? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"**

"Well I was confused," Ron said.

"It would be easy to get confused." Gwen said.

**Cris and Hermione looked at each other.**

**"You explain," said Cris, helping herself to some more chocolate. **

"Thanks for that by the way." Hermione said.

"You welcome Mia," Cris said with a sweet smile.

**When Cris, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering, heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Cris wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Cris lost the thread of the conversation as she looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward her from there just last night…**

**A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.**

**"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' — but guess what?"**

**"What?" they said, pretending to look curious. **

"Did it work?" Prongs asked.

"I think it did because he didn't question it." Cris said.

**"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"**

"Hagrid, that's just like him." Charlie said with a smile.

**"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.**

"I was," Ron said with a laugh.

"You seem to know them pretty well." Lily said.

"I like to think so." Hermione said.

**"Yeah… can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"**

"Good, I would have felt bad for Buckbeak." Teddy said.

"You've been spending too much time with Uncle Charlie." James said.

"No he hasn't," Lily J said glaring at her twin. They glared at each other until Lily decided to continue reading to prevent the two siblings from fighting.

**"What?" said Cris quickly.**

**"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night… He's packin' now, o' course."**

**"He's packing?" said Cris, alarmed. "Why?"**

"Because I doubted anyone would want me around, besides I almost killed you three." Remus said sadly. This statement earned him a slap from Robin.

"Stop saying that about yourself, that wasn't your fault." Robin said. Remus just nodded and Lily continued reading.

**"Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Cris had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again."**

"At least you gotten off the best of the two teachers before you." Padfoot said.

"That is certainly true." Remus said with a smile.

**Cris scrambled to her feet.**

**"I'm going to see him," she said to Ron and Hermione.**

**"But if he's resigned —"**

**" — doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"**

**"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here."**

**Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Cris knocked on the door.**

**"I saw you coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.**

"Does he give it back?" Prongs asked.

"Of course he does," Padfoot said.

**"I just saw Hagrid," said Cris. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"**

**"I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.**

**"Why?" said Cris. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"**

**Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Cris. **

**"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."**

"Accidently? Yeah right, I think he was more than happy to tell everyone." Sirius said.

"Yeah, more than likely." Robin said glaring at the potion's master.

**"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Cris.**

**Lupin smiled wryly.**

**"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents… They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Cris. **

"That's not fair, you're a capable teacher, they should be happy that their kids learned a lot instead of judging someone for what they are." Gwen said.

"Thank you Gwen but wizards, especially most pure-blood families, don't care about how I teach, they just don't want their children being taught by a monster." Remus said.

"But what happened the night before was an accident." Gwen said.

"I know that, Cris, Hermione, Ron and the headmaster knows that but that won't matter to the parents." Remus said. He then motioned for Lily to continue reading.

**And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."**

**"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Cris. "Don't go!"**

**Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Cris was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Cris. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus."**

**"How d'you know about that?" said Cris, distracted.**

"It's Remus, he knows everything." Prongs said with a smirk.

**"What else could have driven the Dementors back?"**

**Cris told Lupin what had happened. When she'd finished, Lupin was smiling again.**

**"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "You guessed right… that's why we called him Prongs."**

Just then Prongs transformed and back again. Cris smiled and Lily continued reading.

**Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Cris.**

**"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Cris back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it. And promise me this, try your hardest in your classes Cris, I noticed how smart you were especially after you figured out everything so early on in the year." **

"Good you did tell her." Prongs said.

"What else could I have done?" Remus asked.

"True," Prongs said.

**Cris blushed and grinned shyly and took the map.**

**"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Kit would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny." **

"Well yeah, but I just wanted to protect you as well." Remus said.

"And you did," Cris said with a smile.

**"And so we would have," said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his daughter had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle." **

"So true," Prongs said with a smile.

"There's no changing you is there?" Lily asked.

"No probably not," Prongs said with a smile and kissed her cheek.

**There was a knock on the door. Cris hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into her pocket.**

**It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Cris there.**

"No, I daresay after last night I knew that you probably wanted to change his mind." Dumbledore said.

"I tried." Cris said with a sigh.

**"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.**

**"Thank You, Headmaster."**

**Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.**

**"Well — good-bye, Cris," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…" **

"And I do," Cris said with a smile towards her honorary uncle.

"Good, now the three of you need to teach her some pranks." Prongs said.

"Don't worry about that, we will." The twins said with a smile. Prongs nodded and smiled.

**Cris had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.**

**"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly.**

"We didn't want you to leave; you were the first capable teacher I find in a while for that post." Dumbledore said.

**Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Cris and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.**

**Cris sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. She heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there.**

**"Why so miserable, Cris?" he said quietly. "You should be very proud of yourself after last night."**

**"It didn't make any difference," said Cris bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."**

**"Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly, "it made all the difference in the world, Cris. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate." **

"What you and Hermione did was very brave." Charlie said. Cris and Hermione blushed and Lily continued reading.

**Terrible. Something stirred in Cris' memory. Greater and more terrible than ever before… Professor Trelawney's prediction!**

"Yes, tell him about it." Robin said.

**"Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange."**

**"Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "Er — stranger than usual, you mean?"**

"She is a bit strange," Victoire said.

**"Yes… her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said… she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight… She said the servant would help him come back to power." Cris stared up at Dumbledore. "And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?"**

**Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.**

"That doesn't happen often." Sirius said.

"It does with the trio." Neville said.

**"Do you know, Cris, I think she might have been." he said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise…" **

"Two, what was the first one?" Padfoot asked. Sirius, Remus and Robin looked down sadly as well as Dumbledore.

"I'm sure the books will tell you." Dumbledore said.

"I sure hope so," Cris whispered.

**"But —" Cris looked at him, aghast. How could Dumbledore take this so calmly?**

**"But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!" **

"No it's not, stopping someone from becoming killers is very good accomplishment, by means is no fault of yours that Voldemort came back this past year." Robin said. Cris nodded but didn't say anything else since her eyes were closed and was trying to block out the images.

**"It does not," said Dumbledore quietly. "Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Cris? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed… Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that… You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life."**

"How was it noble?" Ron asked.

"It means that he owes her a life debt, which could come in handy at some point." Remus said.

**Cris looked down at that, still not sure if she did the right thing.**

**"But if he helps Voldemort back to power…"**

**"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt… When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them… and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Cristal Potter."**

"You said basically the same thing as Dumbledore Moony!" Sirius exclaimed with a smile on his face.

**"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!" said Cris. "He betrayed my parents!"**

**"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Cris. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."**

Everyone except Dumbledore missed the looks on the future kids' faces.

**Cris couldn't imagine when that would be. Dumbledore looked as though he knew what Cris was thinking.**

**"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Cris," he said gently. "He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it."**

"I would have, but it doesn't mean I would forgive him." Prongs said. Cris smiled at her dad and let her mum continue reading.

**Cris looked up at him. Dumbledore wouldn't laugh — he could tell Dumbledore…**

**"I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake… I thought I was seeing him."**

**"An easy mistake to make," said Dumbledore softly. "I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James. Except for the eyes… you have your mother's eyes."**

**Cris shook her head.**

**"It was stupid, thinking it was him," she muttered. "I mean, I knew he was dead. And there are major differences as well with me being a girl and all."**

This caused a lot of people to chuckle a little bit.

**"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Cris, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night."**

"That he did," Sirius whispered into Cris' ear.

**It took a moment for Cris to realize what Dumbledore had said.**

**"Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi," said Dumbledore, smiling. "An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. **

"You never figured it out?" Padfoot asked.

"Not until you told," Dumbledore said with a smile.

**And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. You know, Cris, in a way, you did see your father last night… You found him inside yourself."**

**And Dumbledore left the office, leaving Cris to her very confused thoughts.**

"I'm sure it was very confusing." Remus said with a smile.

**Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Cris, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, Cris heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth. **

"They were pretty amusing." Ron said.

"I tried so hard not to tell the truth." Cris said.

"We could tell; you kept biting your tongue." Hermione said.

"You know, you're not supposed to do that right?" Gwen asked. Cris smiled and nodded.

**Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. **

**Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape.**

**"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.**

Many people shook their heads.

**Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though she knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Cris had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits.**

**She certainly wasn't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Cris' Defense Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation.**

**"Wonder what they'll give us next year?" said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.**

**"Maybe a vampire," suggested Dean Thomas hopefully. **

"You don't, do you?" Lily asked worried very slightly.

"Nope," Cris said popping the 'p'.

**It wasn't only Professor Lupin's departure that was weighing on Cris' mind. She couldn't help thinking a lot about Professor Trelawney's prediction. She kept wondering where Pettigrew was now, whether he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. But the thing that was lowering Cris' spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursley's. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, she had believed she would be living with Sirius from now on… her parents' best friend… It would have been the next best thing to having her own father back. And while no news of Sirius was definitely good news, because it meant he had successfully gone into hiding, Cris couldn't help feeling miserable when she thought of the home she might have had, and the fact that it was now impossible. **

"Now it's not." Sirius said with a smile and a hug.

**The exam results came out on the last day of term. Cris, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject.**

"You even passed Divination?" Prongs asked.

"Well the prediction I made up came true." Cris said.

"It did, didn't it." Ginny said with a smile.

**Cris was amazed that she had got through Potions. She had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing her on purpose. Snape's behavior toward Cris over the past week had been quite alarming. Cris wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for her could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Cris, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Cris' throat.**

"Don't you dare touch her." Prongs snarled at the potion's master.

**Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each.**

"Why?" Lily asked.

"You'll find out Lily, it was pretty ingenious." Remus said.

"How do you know?" George asked.

"Cris told me," Remus said.

"Oh," Fred said.

**Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running.**

The Gryffindor's in the room cheered very loudly, once they had calmed down Lily continued reading.

**This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Cris managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursley's the next day as she ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest.**

**As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Cris and Ron some surprising news.**

**"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."**

**"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.**

"That's a really high score," Moony said.

"I had to drop a few classes; I didn't want to be as over worked the next year as I was that year." Hermione said.

"Good," Prongs said.

**"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."**

"Yeah!" Tonks exclaimed.

**"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it," said Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."**

**"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," said Hermione severely. She looked around at Cris, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again…**

**"Oh, cheer up, Cris!" said Hermione sadly.**

**"I'm okay," said Cris quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."**

**"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Cris, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —" **

"You really need to take Muggle Studies, mate." Cris said with a smile.

"But that's what I have the two of you for." Ron said. Two pillows were then hitting his head. Nobody said anything, just laughed.

**"A telephone, Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year…"**

**Ron ignored her.**

**"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! **

"Whoo hoo!" cried all the Quidditch fans.

**How about it, Cris? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work." **

"Did you go?" Prongs asked jumping up and done in his seat.

"Maybe," Cris said with a smile.

**This proposal had the effect of cheering Cris up a great deal.**

**"Yeah… I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…" **

"That didn't beat you for that did they?" Lily asked worried.

"No, I have leverage now." Cris said with a smile.

"And would that leverage by any chance be your escaped criminal of a godfather?" Prongs asked with a smile.

"Maybe," Cris said with the same exact smile.

**Feeling considerably more cheerful, Cris joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, she bought herself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.**

"Why not?" both Remus', Teddy and Al asked.

"I got tired of chocolate that year, I love it though." Cris said.

"No one can get tired of chocolate." Remus said.

**But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made her truly happy turned up…**

**"Cris," said Hermione suddenly, peering over her shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"**

**Cris turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. She stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream.**

"That's a small owl." Padfoot said missing the grin from his older counterpart.

**Cris quickly pulled down the window, stretched out her arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. she brought it carefully inside.**

**The owl dropped its letter onto Cris' seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way.**

**Cris picked up the letter. It was addressed to her. She ripped open the letter, and shouted, "It's from Sirius!" **

"Yah!" cried the marauders from the past.

**"What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"**

_**Dear Cris,**_

_**I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. **_

"Nope," Cris said.

_**Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.**_

_**I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted.**_

"I didn't know that they had removed the Dementor's." Sirius said.

"Though that is a smart plan, just be careful." Moony said.

"You know me," Sirius said.

"Exactly why I said be careful." Moony said with a smile.

_**There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —**_

Prongs jumped over to Sirius and hugged both him and his daughter chanting thank you. When he let go Cris was clutching her ribs and taking deep breaths.

"Remind me to never get sandwiched by my dad and Sirius again." Cris said. Everyone chuckled and Lily continued reading.

**"Ha!" said Hermione triumphantly. "See! I told you it was from him!"**

**"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.**

"Aw, the owl likes you." Gwen said.

– _**Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather.**_

_**I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.**_

"Yeah, just a little." Cris said.

"I know and I'm sorry pup." Sirius said.

_**I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.**_

_**If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.**_

_**I'll write again soon.**_

_**Sirius**_

**Cris looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. She read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though she'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.**

_**I, Sirius Black, Cristal Potter's godfather, hereby give her permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. **_

"Good, you don't have to sneak out anymore." Mrs. Weasley said.

"See, I'm a wonderful godfather." Sirius said.

**"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Cris happily. She looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a PS…"**

_**I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat. **_

"So Sirius gave you a little hyperactive owl; that is so like him." Tonks said with a teasing smile towards her cousin.

**Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Cris' and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.**

**"What do you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?"**

People chuckled.

"At least you checked." Charlie said through his chuckles.

**Crookshanks purred.**

**"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine."**

"Yah!" the past marauders cried again.

**Cris read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in her hand as she, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Cris spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Cris in greeting, her worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.**

**"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after Cris as Cris bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing her trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted her in his usual fashion.**

"What's his usual fashion?" Prongs asked not liking the sound of it. When Cris didn't answer Lily continued reading.

**"What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope Cris was still clutching in her hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"**

**"It's not," said Cris cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."**

**"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"**

**"Yes, I have," said Cris brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…" **

"Did you ever tell them I was innocent?" Sirius asked with a smile.

"It slipped my mind." Cris said with an innocent smile.

"Uh-huh, you little devil." Sirius said with smile as he kissed her head.

**And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Cris set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of her, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.**

"And it was," Cris said, "except for what happened at the end."

"What happened at the end?" Lily asked as she closed the book.

"You'll find out." Robin said.

"Now I believe it's bedtime," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Actually if I can talk with Hermione, Cris and Ron for a minute before they head to bed alone that would be great." Sirius said. Mrs. Weasley looked at him for a minute and nodded her head.

The trio followed Sirius, Remus, Prongs, Moony, Padfoot and Robin into another room and closed the door behind them. Sirius and Remus and Robin turned to the trio.

"Alright, during the chapter when I was explaining to you three about Peter I noticed a look you gave to each other, you want to explain?" Remus asked. They shifted and Hermione and Ron pushed Cris forward to explain.

"Alright, um we've been working on it since fourth year but we successfully managed the transformations the day before we left for the holiday." Cris said.

"So the three of you are animagi as well?" Robin asked. The three nodded and Hermione spoke up this time.

"We thought it would be a good idea so that we could have an advantage against Voldemort." Hermione said.

"That was a very smart idea but you could have told us and we would have helped you." Sirius said. The trio grinned sheepishly at him.

"So what are your forms?" Prongs asked looking excited at his daughter and her friends. With a pop the trio changed into their forms. Cris was a black cheetah **(I know there are no such thing but as their forms take on their hair color she is a black cheetah) **her eyes were her normal emerald green and she had a thin white lightning shaped mark on her forehead. Ron was red panda, his blues eyes were very obvious in this form and he had little brown spots in his white fur that resembled freckles. Hermione was a beautiful brown wolf, her chocolate brown eyes made her seem human and were filled with intelligence and her fur was wavy to match that of her own hair.

"Ron's so cute!" Robin squealed.

"Now I get the nicknames other than Mione's." Sirius said. They transformed back so they could talk.

"We couldn't come up with anything so I came up with Mia and she liked it." Cris said.

"So why Bolt for you?" Prongs asked.

"Cheetah's are the fastest animals on earth; they can run up to the speed 112 to 120 km/h **(70-75 mph). **So we call her Bolt and Red is kind of a given." Hermione said.

"What exactly is your animal, I've never seen it." Padfoot said.

"It's a red panda," Ron said.

"Well that's what I wanted to ask. I won't tell you guys really thought about this and did a very good job, but now it's time for bed." Remus said. Cris hugged them all and followed Robin and Hermione into the girl's room for the night.


End file.
